Not Letting Go
by cbeers
Summary: Season5 rewrite, starting during 'Pulp Friction'. How things would have happened if Jess came back and had his life together then. Would he win Rory back? How will he deal with Logan?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls. If I did the show would still be going on. **

* * *

After an embarrassing conversation about her quasi-'relationship' with her mother Rory was in desperate need of a giant cup of coffee. She also needed to finish her latest article, before Doyle started the not so subtle hints at home and the yelling in the newsroom. Why, oh why couldn't Paris have found someone else to play crazy people's version of house with? Hell, Professor Flemming was starting to look like the fun, happy times of yesterday.

With her mind bouncing all around Rory wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. She didn't notice the dark and handsome Jess watching her from a bench place a few feet away from the coffee cart, Paris had grudgingly informed him Rory frequented. '_God she's even more beautiful than ever.'_ Feeling the hollowness start in his gut whenever he was near her. '_Don't blow it this time, jackass. This time is for keeps.'_ He coached himself once more.

Just as she was about to order Jess made his move.

"Large coffee." He said from her side holding out the cup in front of her face.

"Oh!" Rory jumped and looked up from counting her money to see Jess' smiling face.

"Jess?!"

"The one and only." he smirked, waving the coffee closer to her nose.

"What are you doing here, Jess?" Rory question trying to hide the way her heart skipped a beat. After what happened the last time she saw him, she had been sure he would never reappear.

"You mean besides trying to hand you coffee?"

"Yes. I mean in general, Jess. As in here at Yale?" Trying to sound irritated. She couldn't him see the effect he still had on her after all these years.

"I wanted to apologize for what happened the last time I was here." He looked deeply into Rory's eyes willing her to see his sincerity.

Rory couldn't help but smile and take the hot beverage, Jess was still holding out like a peace offering. He had always known how to wiggle his way out of a possible sticky situation.

"Really? You, apologizing? Should we notify the media of the impending apocalypse now or later?"

Shaking his head and smiling, Jess itched to wrap his arms around her. He'd missed her so much it had been physically painful at some points. Everything about her had haunted him.

"Why warn the masses? What have they done for us recently?" He joked, trying to see Rory smile one more time.

"Good point."

Jess decided to dive in and ask what he'd wanted to ask her. No point in dragging this part out. "Have dinner with me? We'll talk. We'll eat. It'll be fun."

"Dinner?" Rory asked, sounding almost confused. Jess was apologizing, asking her to dinner. He even looked put together. He'd cut his hair, lost the leather jacket. Swapping it for a nicer looking jean jacket. He just seemed more adult like.

"Dinner. The meal usually consumed after lunch and some time before collapsing into bed." He joked.

He stood there, hoping she would say yes. If she didn't Jess would understand but that wouldn't make it hurt any less. It also wouldn't stop him from trying again. And again and again if needed.

A few moments passed with Rory and Jess staring at each other in front of the coffee cart. Rory shocked this was actually happening. Jess silently praying she'd accept.

"Ok. Dinner sounds good. I mean we have to eat. We might as well do so together."

Jess felt the relief flood his system, " I'll pick you up at 6:30."

Turning to the man working the coffee cart he said , " Could I get two blueberry muffins?"

While Jess paid for them (refusing the change) Rory looked at him wondering why he was suddenly ordering two muffins that she knew he wouldn't eat. He just smiled and handed her the bag with the muffins. "To help hold you over until dinner. We don't want you to drop dead of starvation, now do we?"

"you remembered blueberry's my favorite?"

"Of course, Gilmore. I remember a lot of things." He said quietly with a wink. Then turned and began walking away.

When he was a few feet away he turned around and called back. "I'll see you at 6:30."

He left knowing Rory was staring after him. The thought put a smile on his face.

* * *

Was it a date? Was it just friends catching up? Rory couldn't decide. She needed to get to her dorm to start getting ready. Already she was cataloging her clothes choices.

Rory didn't bother to look up when Logan perched on the side of her desk.

"Well, that is a look of great determination."

She didn't have time for this! On any other day Rory would have made time. But after seeing Logan with that other girl and running into Jess, she just wasn't in the mood.

Trying to cut Logan off without being rude she quickly responded, "Yes, I am determined to finish this piece before my coffee buzz wears off. And I have about 30 seconds left."

When Logan remained quiet, she was hopeful that the situation had been handled. Until she heard him say, "So…"

Taking a page from Jess' book she just repeated Logan's, "So…"

Logan sighed, "Did I see you on State Street with…"

'_He cant even finish the thought. Coward!'_

"Yea." She said keeping her response short and simple.

"Right so, you saw me on State Street with…"

"Yup." Logan just wasn't getting the hint.

"So…"

Again all Rory could think to say was, "So…"

"Are we still good?" '_She's barely even looking at me. There must be something wrong.'_ Logan didn't want Rory to be upset with him. He hadn't been lying when he told her she was special.

"Absolutely." Rory said a little too brightly.

"Really?" She didn't sound good. But he wanted to believe her.

"Logan, we both agreed, no strings attached, remember?" Smilingly looking up at him.

Logan was shocked. "I remember. I was just checking to see how well you remember."

Smiling again, Rory answered almost sarcastically, "I remember perfectly."

That sounded like a conversation ender, Maybe this would finally be over and she could focus.

"Well, hey that's good to hear. So…"

"Oh, we're not going to do this 'so' thing again are we?" Rory had to hand it to Jess. He may be a one syllable guy but at least it wasn't the same syllable.

"No promise. No more 'son's. Would you be willing to take an 'umm'?

"Depends where's this leading?" Hopefully to the end of this talk so she could go get ready, Rory silently added.

"Umm are you busy or do you feel like grabbing a cup of coffee?" Rory could almost feel the over confidence radiating from Logan.

"Well, to use your new word… Umm I'm sorry but I actually have plans. Maybe some other time?" Rory said while gathering her things and moving towards the exit.

"Oh plans, Ace? Maybe you could include me in those plans. I haven't seen you in a while." Logan was a little thrown off. Rory had never turned him down. She'd always made time for him.

"As fun as that sounds my friend is in town and we have a lot of catching up to do."

"Oh, I'll just call you tomorrow, I guess." Logan called out to her as she was almost out the door. He felt the need to say something, anything, to get her attention.

"Sounds good!" Rory said over her shoulder. Her mind already on the evening ahead.

* * *

At exactly 6:30 Rory heard the knock on her door. Even though she knew who was standing there she couldn't help how her heart dropped at the sight of Jess. He'd changed into a still casual outfit but slightly nicer than just the jeans he had been wearing earlier. Rory also noticed he was holding one hand behind his back.

"Jess, you're on time."

"And bearing coffee." He smiled, bringing a large cup of coffee from behind his back.

"Oh, coffee, how I've missed you!" Rory quickly grabbed the cup. After taking a sip she breathed, "Heaven."

Jess couldn't take his eyes off of Rory. She was amazing. "So…"

"Oh, God, not this 'so' word again."

"Huh?" Jess asked confused.

"I've heard the 'so word way too many times today. I just can't take it anymore."

Jess remembered the Gilmore rambling. He hadn't realized how much he liked it until he wasn't around it anymore. He would never admit this Rory or he would never live it down.

"K. We'll just have to come up with something else. Hmmm, how does 'hungry' work?"

Rory sipped her coffee, savoring the bitter taste. "Always hungry. Don't you know anything about me?" She teased with a smile.

"A few things about you do stick in the mind. Your black hole of a stomach only being one of them."

They were bantering, flirtatiously again. The tension was easing. It was always like this for them. After a few moments of awkwardness, they would settle into their old ways. Joking and laughing. He could even see her relaxing.

"Ok. Where should we eat?" Rory was amazed. Jess was here. And they weren't fighting, it was almost like a dream.

"Well, I'd prefer not going some place with food in the title."

"Meaning?" Rory asked confused.

Jess chuckled and explained. "Olive, Chili, Soup. No gardens. No plantations."

Nodding, Rory said, " Got it. Something funkier."

"I'm sure we can find something. Come on." Jess held out his hand and Rory when Rory put her hand in his. Hess could swear he felt the electricity shoot up his arm. She still had that power over him.

"Walk or drive?" Jess asked, just trying to keep the conversation going.

"You mean your crappy old car is still running?" Rory asked in a shocked tone. She was sure that thing would have rolled over and died, fallen apart or disintegrated in the slightest storm.

"It was when I sold it. Got a new one a few months ago."

"Oh, wow! You cold your car?! Sad. I'm going to miss that old girl." Rory teased while playfully elbowing him in the ribs.

Jess put his arm around her shoulders pulling her a little closer. "Well, times they have to change or the world would get boring. Predictable. You wouldn't want that ,now would you?

* * *

The playful banter continues all the way to a restaurant they found while walking. Once they were sitting across from each other everything seemed to shift.

The two of them were thinking too much. Jess knew he had to break the silence. "How about we get the elephant out of the way, so we can go back to having a good time?"

"Sounds good." Rory was relieved she wasn't the only one feeling a little awkward. Jess always had the tendency to make her jumpy. It was good to know she had a similar effect on him.

"The last time you saw me, I was a mess. You were right to turn me down, Rory." Jess said quietly.

Rory blushed but kept her eyes steady on Jess' face. "I just don't understand… You tell me you love me and run away. Months go by, no phone calls, no letters, no smoke signals or fruit baskets. To quote you. Then you show up begging me to run away with you. Why, Jess, why?"

"To be fair, I didn't run away after I said I love you. I drove-"

"Jess!"

"Joke! I just - Rory, I never should have done those things. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm so sorry."

"That still doesn't explain why ,Jess?"

Rory was not going to make this easy he was really going to have to open up here. "I don't even know what I was thinking, except that I missed you and wanted to try and make things work between us."

After a few moments for the pair to collect their thoughts Rory asked, "Jess, why are you doing this now? I mean telling me all of this, apologizing, showing up here? Its just not in your usual play book."

Almost whispering Rory had to strain to hear him over the noise of the other people in the restaurant. "I figured if I ever wanted to try and salvage any kind of relationship with you, I had to get my shit together and actually be open and honest with you… I'm really trying here, Rory."

"I see that, but Jess-" , what ever Rory was about to say was cut off by the waitress taking their orders. Before she could start again Jess jumped in.

"Just, please, give me a chance. No running away speech. No begging. Just me simply asking. Rory I want you in my life. I miss you."

A few moments passed in what could only be considered a stunned silence before Jess chuckled and said, "There, now I'm all out of planned speeches. All I have left to say is, Think about it, please."

Rory was speechless. Jess was here. Saying all the things she's wished he had said a year ago. He had actually thought this out. He had planned this.

"Ok I'll think about it." Rory said after a beat.

"Good. Tell me about life at Yale?"

They passed the rest of the evening talking about everything. Just like old times. Rory was beginning to realize how much she missed having Jess in her life.

After they'd finished dessert Rory realized, while they'd talked about everything having to do with her, they'd barely touched on his life.

While they walked back to her place she asked all in one breath. "Jess, tell me what you're doing now? Do you work? Do you go to school? Where do you live? Have you talked to school? Have you talked to Luke? Does he know you're here?-"

"Whoa, slow down!" Jess said holding up his hands. Then he counted out on his fingers the answers to all her questions.

"One. Yes, I work. How else do you think I make money… You know what, don't answer that." He smiled at her knowing the many options her mind could think up.

Then he continued, "Two. I'm not in college, yet. Three, I live in Philly at the moment. Four, Yes, I still talk to Luke. We're no where near how much you and your mother talk but we have the occasional phone call. To answer you're last question. No, Luke, doesn't know I'm here, yet."

Jess was in no way surprised that she rambled. Or had so many questions. He was however surprised that it took her this long to ask them.

Rory smiled at him and he know he would do anything in his power to keep that smile there.

"But you're going to tell him?" She pressed.

"He's my next stop."

Suddenly they were in front of her dorm. Neither really wanted the evening to end. It had been magical. They seemed to be actually working towards…something stable. Both were afraid time and distance would break this spell.

Jess wanted to ask if he could come in. But that was something the 'old Jess' would ask. Yet, he couldn't seem to make himself leave either. So he stood silently in front of Rory's door looking at her while she told him a story about Paris' latest antics.

Rory finally stopped talking. She knew she was trying to drag out this good-bye. She was afraid that if they ended the evening, all this would be over. And she wouldn't see Jess for another year. She wasn't ready to handle that again.

All she could think to say was, "So…"

Jess laughed, "And here I thought that word was forbidden."

Rory blushed and looked down at her shoes, "You're right, how could I have forgotten."

Jess knew exactly what Rory was trying to work up the nerve to ask. He put his finger under her chin to force her eyes to his. He wanted Rory to see this wasn't a flat out rejection. "Rory, as much as I would love you to ask me to come in. I'm not going to. Not tonight, at least."

Rory couldn't stop herself from asking, "Why?"

Smiling, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, Jess took a small step towards her. Making the space between their bodies a mere inches. He almost whispered, "I'm taking my time here. No rushing."

Rory could have sworn Jess was going to kiss her. Closing her eyes, she could almost taste his lips feel them pressing against hers. That must have been why she was shocked when she felt them on her forehead rather than her lips.

"Lunch… tomorrow?" Jess asked taking a step back.

"Two meals in two days?"

"What time should I be here?"

"My classes are done at one." Rory was stunned. Jess was making plans. He was taking his time.

"Ill be by the coffee cart, hot beverage in hand." He smiled at her.

Jess leaned over and kissed her cheek. Just to feel the connection one more time before he walked away.

Rory would never know how difficult it was for jess to walk away. He know starting this was going to be hard. He basically was starting from scratch. While still making up for the past. Jess would have to be pushy enough in her space often. Yet still distant enough to show that he wasn't just trying to barge in. It was a thin line.

When Jess was gone and Rory had finally settled her nerves she thought of how wonderful the night had been. Jess was amazing. Something seemed totally changed about him. Almost like he had made peace with himself. Dropped the 'hate the world' attitude.

Rory was so lost in thought she almost didn't see the blinking light on the message machine.

'_Hey Ace! Just calling to see if we could get together tomorrow. I'm starting to miss you. Call me!' _

Rory sighed. Somehow one dinner with Jess had made her re-evaluate this whole 'no strings attached' thing.

* * *

Jess parked his car and looked into his uncle's diner. It hadn't changed at all. In his teenage years just the thought of Stars Hollow would make his skin crawl. But after two years he'd begun to miss this town's crazy people, shin digs, and To Kill A Mockingbird-esque meetings.

It was always fun to see Luke deal with Kirk, Taylor or even Lorelai when she was on a tangent. And he was actually looking forward to the gossip of the town 'hoodlum returning'. Maybe they'd have another town meeting to try and ban him. That could be interesting.

The second Jess walked into the diner all conversation stopped, heads turned. Then the whispering started. Shaking his head he decided to just take a seat and wait for Luke to notice him.

Though it didn't take long, Jess still heard a few snippets of the town talk. '_never over her…looks grown up… staying?…Lorelai's going to be mad!…" _

"Jess!" Luke jumped and almost dropped the plates he had been carrying from the kitchen. Luke put the plates on the counter and rushed around to greet Jess.

"Luke." Jess returned in the same tome while standing up. They'd actually reached a point in their relationship where greetings no longer included yelling.

"What are you doing here?" Luke asked after a short non-girly hug.

"I'm here on business. All about board and such. Just looking for a place to crash."

"Apartments still upstairs."

"Huh. Would have never guessed." It was the same type of comment he would have said years ago. This time with a smile instead of a scowl.

"So, how long are you back for?" asked grabbing one of the bags Jess had dropped by the door. Luke didn't want to get his hopes up. He knew how much Jess hated this town.

"We'll see." Was all Jess said with a small smirk. Before going upstairs he looked around at all the people in the diner and the town. He thought to himself, '_I'm back.'_

* * *

**A/N: Reviews, always welcome and make me write faster. (hint, hint) **

**Also up for any suggestions. I may not include them all but I will try. **


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

**Disclaimer: Still Don't Own**

* * *

Rory still felt ecstatic the next morning. It was her own natural high. She'd dreamt of Jess after their dinner and she was looking forward to another day with him. She kept trying to tell herself that Jess may pull another disappearing act but something in her heart kept whispering, '_He's really here.' _

When Rory and Paris were just about to leave for breakfast and class, Paris decided to say something. "Rory, Jess was here yesterday. I'm not sure if he found you. He annoyed me into telling him where you usually get coffee. I tried to wait up for you to get home but I do have a life outside of yours."

After spending the better part of five years as Paris' best friend Rory understood this was Paris' way of asking what happened while still pretending to be uninterested.

"Jess found me, Paris. We went to dinner and talked. He's even meeting me here for lunch."

While, they both walked out and headed to the nearest coffee cart, they both needed a jolt to get started in the morning and the dining hall had horrible coffee, Paris began processing what Rory had just told her. She couldn't say Jess was the worst of Rory's past boyfriends but she was still unsure of the Kerouac lover's history. On the other hand, if Jess was here then maybe Rory would stop pining over the walking trust fund, Logan. Of them those options, Jess was most certainly the lesser of two evils. Huntzburger always gave Paris a really bad feeling.

"So what's going on there?" Paris asked after they ordered their coffee and began walking to where they ate breakfast together.

"I don't know. It's so surreal. Jess seems different but not at the same time. I waited for him for months, then when he did show up it was a complete disaster…" Rory began thinking of the horrible times after Jess' last "visits". They were more like ambushes in Rory's opinion.

Paris' voice snapped her out of that train of thought. "Yea, I remember. He really did pull a number on you. A few times actually. I'm not sure I want to watch you go through all that again."

"But he really did seem different. He was more calm, more present, I guess. He even said he just wanted me in his life. He said he wasn't rushing this time." Rory felt the need to defend Jess. She didn't know where it came from but the feeling was there and it was powerful. The way all instincts are.

"I'll give you that. And I do prefer him to your last adultery committing boyfriend. What does this mean for you and Logan?"

"Me and Logan?"

"Yea, you and Huntzburger. You guys have been doing that weird casual dating thing but now…" Paris let the obvious question dangle in the space between them.

Rory busied herself by selecting her combo of cereals, trying to think quickly. How would this effect her status with Logan? Would Jess even be here long enough to be considered a factor? With so many questions running through her mind Rory almost missed Paris' next comment.

"Personally, I don't see what you even like about Logan. He skates by on his last name and trust fund. Sure, he's good looking but the list of his good qualities stops there."

Rory silently took a seat at an empty table. She just didn't know what to think. She and Logan had a 'casual' agreement. She had seen the evidence of him taking it to heart, with her own eyes. But she and Jess had never been casual. They went form semi-friendly to serious in two days or less.

Rory decided to change topics with Paris, just so she could continue to think without a running commentary.

"So Paris, how are things with you and Doyle?"

That was all t took for Paris to totally change gears. Leaving Rory to her own thought. All that was necessary was the occasional nod or 'hmmm'.

* * *

Jess woke up in time to help Luke open the diner. Luke hadn't asked him to but Jess knew it was something his uncle would appreciate.

"Wow. You're up early." Luke said stunned when he saw Jess taking chairs off the tables.

"I've got a meeting in a few hours, anyway. I figured I'd help out until I have to leave."

Luke didn't know what to say. He was in total and complete shock.

When Jess noticed Luke still staring, he asked, "Unless you don't want me to?"

"No, no. Help all you want. Just allow me a moment to digest this."

"Yea, Yea. Keep talking like that and I'll stop helping. Got it?"

Having Luke's incredulous gaze following his every move would be a great annoyance to Jess.

"Fine. You set up the tables and I'll warm up the stoves."

After several moments of the two men working in amicable silence, Luke tried to start a conversation.

"What kind of meeting?"

"I'll tell you about it later." Jess said evasively.

"I thought you said your business was all legal!"

Jess knew no matter what he said it would seem like he was trying to hide something bad. He took a deep breath, answered as calmly and truthfully as he could. Without giving too much way.

"It is. I just don't want to talk about it until I have something concrete to report. No subterfuge involved. Just a little secrecy for the time being."

Jess didn't want to tell Luke that the one other, the main reason, he was keeping quiet was be the first person he wanted to tell was Rory.

Telling Luke that piece of information would be opening himself up to a long lecture about letting her go. That was something that was not an option as far as Jess was concerned.

"You swear, Jess? If what you're doing lands you in jail, I'm not bailing you out."

It may have been years since Luke had been his main 'father figure' but Jess knew Luke's distrust was semi-founded. Jess also knew that the 'I'm not bailing you out of jail' or some variation of it was just Luke's way of showing he cared. Plus, Jess knew if he ever did need to be bailed out, Luke would be there.

"It's not illegal. I gave up my goal to be a guest of the state's correctional system a long time ago." Jess joked.

Any reply Luke may have has was cut off when the bell above the diner's door rang. Both men looked up to see a nervous Kirk walking towards a seat at the counter.

"Coffee's not ready yet, Kirk." Luke said gruffly, walking into the kitchen.

"That's fine. I have to stay here anyway. Taylor's orders." Kirk told Luke.

Jess couldn't help himself. '_Taylor's orders'_? This had to be bad in a horribly funny way. "Why?"

Kirk jumped. This was one of the few times Jess had openly acknowledged Kirk's presence without annoyance lacing his voice. So it wasn't too crazy for Kirk to be slightly intimidated.

"Why, what?" Kirk's voice broke. He'd never fully lost his fear of Jess. After Jess left town, it took months for Kirk to enter the diner without shaking.

"Why did Taylor order you to stay here?" Jess asked with sarcastic patience.

"He…Well…The town… Taylor…" Kirk couldn't make himself speak in full sentences with Jess staring at him. At this rate, Kirk might get to the point sometime next week.

"Taylor, what, Kirk?" Luke jumped in. Just mentioning Taylor had a tendency to make Luke's blood pressure spike. When you threw Kirk in the mix, Luke had been known to go nuclear.

In a rush Kirk blurted, "Taylor told me to follow Jess around until he left again. He wants me to keep a log of what Jess does and who talks to him."

Jess couldn't stop the full blown laugh from escaping his chest. Hearing this was more than enough payment for helping out in the diner.

"KIRK!" Luke yelled.

"Taylor ordered you to keep a log… because?" Jess asked still chuckling.

"He said to tell who you talked to so he could ticket them for breaking town code SHO/L 357 A subsection C."

"Talking to me is against some town code?" Jess was expecting something like this. He just didn't know how far Taylor would take it.

"Kirk! Get out! Then you can go tell Taylor that I said for every ticket he issues, I'll raise his rent a hundred dollars.!"

"But Taylor said I wasn't allowed to let Jess out of my sight while he's within town limits." Kirk protested, wide eyed.

"Out, Kirk!" Luke came around the counter to heave Kirk off of his stool and push him out the door. "Remember, one hundred dollars for every ticket." Luke yelled to a stunned Kirk standing on the side walk.

This was the scene Lane walked into. She wasn't shocked to see Luke and Kirk having a stand off, it was a weekly occurrence. She just shook her head and walked around Luke still glaring at Kirk. It wasn't until she saw Jess that she stopped and stared.

Evidently, Lane hadn't heard the latest town gossip. Otherwise, she would have marched in with a planned tongue-lashing worthy of Mama Kim. "What the hell are you doing here?"

'_And we're off,_' Jess thought. As small as Lane was, her wrath was not something he wanted directed at him.

"What no 'welcome back' or 'how have you been'? Really, Lane, that's not very small town, America, you know?"

"Why would I welcome you, when the only thoughts I have with you in them include violence, tears and several varying forms of torture?"

"Relax, I'm here for business. But kudos on the 'varying methods of torture'. Maybe you could fill me in on the details later?"

Jess knew the only reason for Lane's feelings towards him was due to his past treatment of Rory. The two girls had been connected at the hip since they could walk, from what he'd been told. So he figured the only way he could help thaw the Arctic freeze Lane was sending him was to fix his relationship with Rory. That and maybe some time.

"Sure, details with demonstrations." Lane retorted. This guy was… she didn't even know. She'd watched everything he'd done to Rory. Sure, the bad boy aspect was almost charming but that didn't make up for him hurting her best friend. Therefore, Jess was persona non grata as far as Lane was concerned.

"Business, huh? What, your theft ring decided to start a new outpost?"

"Because Stars Hollow just screams easy pickings, right?"

"Fine, I'll bite. What kind of business?" Lane had to ask. Jess would never voluntarily step foot in this town without a damn good reason.

"Ah and ruin the surprise? I think not."

Jess tried to ignore the death glare and start setting up the counter. Both he and Lane chose not to comment on Luke storming into past them, into the kitchen muttering about murdering Taylor.

After a long silence Lane came to stand directly in front of Jess to look into his eyes. "I swear, on every bible my mother owns, if you hurt her I will hunt you down like the mangy, dog you are and make you pay. Dearly. Are we clear?"

Jess had an idea of how much damage he'd caused but seeing how upset Lane was, just by his presence, made him wonder just how bad the reality actually was. He made a promise to himself. He would never earn this king of anger again. He would find a way to earn Lane, Lorelai, the Gilmores, hell even Paris' trust back. They were all a part of Rory's life. He remembered how Luke once told him Rory came as a package deal with all these people.

The usual morning customers began to file in, giving Lane and Jess something else to focus on rather than each other. Lane talked to the people, Jess carried plates to and from the kitchen and refilled coffee.

Time flew by. Jess glanced at the clock and realized that he needed to get on his way. He rushed upstairs to grab his bag, checking it for all the paperwork and plans he would need.

Before leaving Jess poked his head in the storeroom where Luke was, "Hey, Luke. I'm out."

Luke looked up from the shelf he was attempting to organize. "You comin' back?"

"Yea. Should be back late tonight. Key still hidden on the frame or should I bust out my rusty lock picking skills?"

"Jess!" Luke hated to think about the old days when lock picking skills hadn't been rusty.

Jess just smiled. He may have done some growing but it never took the fun out of needling his uncle.

Luke sighed when he saw that Jess had just been making a joke, "Key's where its always been."

"Wish me luck!" Jess started walking out of the store room. When he was almost out the diner's door he heard Luke yell.

"Luck with what?"

Jess smiled and gave Lane a small wave, "Later."

* * *

Logan stood outside Rory's classroom waiting, anxiously, for her to get done. He'd called her the night before, hoping she'd be done with her plans early enough for them to get a drink together.

It was odd but he had actually kept checking his phone all night. Much to Collin and Finn's annoyance. But Rory hadn't called. So he retorted to trying to catch her in between classes. That way he was guaranteed an instantaneous response.

As people began filing out, Logan smiled. His smile faltered when Rory passed by him without a glance.

"Hey! Ace!!" He lightly reached out and grabbed Rory's arm to turn her to face him.

"Logan, hey." Rory smiled at him. She couldn't believe she hadn't noticed him. She was to easy to sneak up on the past few days.

"Where have you been, Ace? I called you last night." Logan knew he was sounding a little needy but he felt like Rory was slipping away and it was strangely painful.

"Oh, yea, I got your message but I got in really late." Rory knew Logan would have been awake when she got in but she just hadn't felt like calling him. He had been , no doubt, out drinking and Rory just wasn't up to dealing with drunk Logan and his band of merry followers.

"Late, huh?" Must have had a lot to talk about with your friend to keep you out late on a night before your early class." Logan laughed. He knew Rory was a stickler about that. It was actually one of the things he truly admired about her. She was very responsible, upstanding. Basically she was everything he wasn't but his father wanted him to be.

"Yea, I haven't seen him in a while and it's been years since we actually talked in depth. So there were a fair amount of topic to discuss."

"Then it's good you guys caught up. So what do you say to dinner with me tonight?"

"Can't tonight. I've got a ton of stuff to do. Sorry, I've got to get to my next class. I'll call you later, ok?" Rory had to get away. As much as she thought she liked Logan she still didn't know where she stood with him. She just needed some time. She needed to figure things out.

"Sure, Ace." Logan said quietly. Mind still going through the information that Rory's old friend was a 'him'/ Logan knew he didn't have an exclusive claim on Rory but he still felt a pang of jealousy. He knew he wasn't ready to give up so that just meant he'd have to try harder to get Rory's attention.

* * *

The latest town news had finally reached Lorelai's ears. Jess was back. She was never really sure what to expect form him. But his pattern over the past year pointed to, bad. The only thing she could see coming from this visit was a new painful story for her daughter to tell. With that thought in mind Lorelai stormed into the diner. "Luke!"

"Hey, Lorelai." Luke came out of the kitchen to greet her with a kiss. "Coffee?"

"Better make it to go. I'm not sure you'll want me to stick around after I say what I came to say." Lorelai didn't want to start with Luke so soon after fixing things but concern for her daughter came first. No matter what, Rory's happiness came first.

"What?' Luke asked confused while handing her a large cup of very strong coffee. "Why wouldn't I want you here? I always want you here."

Lorelai took a long sip of her before starting. "Is Jess back?"

Luke began to look uncomfortable before saying, "Yea. He's not here right now, though."

"Fine. I'll deal with him later. How long will he be here?"

"I don't know. As long as he wants." Luke wouldn't turn Jess out. Not again. As long as Jess needed him Luke would be there.

"What is he doing here, Luke?" Lorelai was getting irritated. Luke always got protective of Jess. As much as she respected that, it wasn't easy to like in this situation. It involved Rory. To Lorelai whenever Jess was n town it was somehow connected to Rory.

"He said he was here on business. He's got his life together. He's doing good."

"What kind of business could he possibly have here?" Lorelai asked exasperated.

"He didn't say." Luke knew this was going to turn ugly but Lorelai was getting close to his boiling point.

"Fine. Luke, you be sure that he stays away from Rory. He's done all the damage he can do there. He needs to leave my daughter alone. You hear me?"

That's what did it. Luke loved Rory like she was his own but he wasn't going to let anyone yell at about Jess without getting an earful back. "Rory's an adult now, Lorelai. If she doesn't want Jess around her she'll say so herself. Just because you come in here and make commands does not mean the world stops turning to suit your wishes!"

Lorelai felt a major moment of déjà vu. She and Luke fighting over Jess. The boy was nothing but trouble. With nothing left to say Lorelai got up and stormed out.

Luke wanted to go after her and make things right be he knew they were to upset to talk like civilized adults. So he decided to give them both a little time to cool down.

* * *

Rory watched the clock n her last class more than she did the professor. She couldn't believe how the time had slowed to a crawl since this lecture started. She knew it was just her mind playing with her simply because she was excited to see Jess. She was excited to talk to Jess.

Finally the lecture ended and Rory headed towards the coffee cart. She was a little scared that Jess wouldn't show up. Before she turned the last corner Rory stopped, took a deep breath and whispered to herself, "He'll be there. And in not, it doesn't matter. It's no big deal."

Then she turned and saw him. Contentedly sitting on a bench with two coffees by his side, deeply engrossed in a book.

Rory took this rare opportunity to study Jess unnoticed. His hair was gelled into a messy controlled look. He was wearing a dark grey men's jacked over a simple black t-shirt. He looked heart breakingly beautiful to Rory.

As if Jess felt her eyes on him he looked up, straight into Rory's eyes. He smiled and stood holding her coffee out to her.

"Hi." He said quietly when she was closer to him.

"Hi." Rory said with a smile. Feeling happiness flood her system. After a few seconds she asked, "Have you been waiting long?"

"Not too long. You ready?"

"Yep. I just have to drop my books off then I'm all yours."

"I like the sound of that. Lead the way." Jess grabbed Rory's free hand as they started walking to her room.

They reached her door in a few minutes. Rory looked over at Jess and asked, "Do you want to come in for a for a second?"

"Casa de Rory. Yea, Ill come in." Then he watched Rory lean over to press her ear to the door.

"Rory, what the hell-?"

"Shh!" Rory listened intently trying to hear if Paris and Doyle were home. D they were it only seemed fair to give Jess a warning.

"Ok, I think it's clear." Then she opened the door and stepped in.

Jess looked around the common room while Rory dropped her books in her bedroom. He saw pictures in a large frame, of Rory and Lorelai in front of different European sites. The Tower of London. Big Ben. The Eiffel Tower. Leaning Tower of Pizza, among several others. That was where Rory found him when she walked out of her room.

"Those are from our trip to Europe after my graduation." Rory explained.

"I see that. Have fun?"

Jess watched Rory's eyes light up while she told him all about it. Stalking Bono, her mom touching the Pope and all the different hostels. He just stood there listening with a smile. He loved watching Rory talk about something she was interested in or passionate about.

When Rory seemed to run out of steam Jess just stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. "I've really missed you, Gilmore." He said quietly into her hair.

Rory returned the hug, taking a deep breath. She'd missed him too. She felt like she was finally home standing in his arms.

They both pulled back slightly to look into each others eyes. Everything seemed to still and quiet. Like they were the only ones in the world. Nothing beyond the two of them mattered. Jess leaned closer to Rory slowly. Just as their lips were about to touch, Paris came charging in.

"I don't care, Doyle. You said what you said. You can't just take it back."

Rory and Jess took a quick step away from each other. Jess sighing and Rory turning an interesting shade of red.

Paris saw them and said to Jess, "Oh you actually showed up when you said you would. Color me shocked."

"Good to see you too, Paris." Jess smiled, before looking at the slightly confused man standing behind her.

Rory jumped in with the introductions knowing Paris wouldn't. "Jess, this is Doyle, he's the editor of the Yale Daily News and Paris'…" Rory trailed off trying to think of a correct term and failing.

"He still hasn't decided what his exact role in my life is." Paris interrupted, sounding very irritated. Jess could see that this conversation had happened more than once.

"Huh, Smart man." He joked, knowing it would drive Paris a little crazy.

Rory jumped back in to avoid the possible blood shed. "Doyle, this is my… This is Jess."

Jess look to Rory and smiled. '_Her, what?_' he wondered. So Jess stored that little slip up away for later use.

"It's nice to meet you, Jess." Doyle said trying to be polite.

"Well look at the time. We should get going. Right, Jess?" Rory wanted nothing more than to be out of this potentially horrible situation.

Jess whole heartedly agreed, so he followed Rory to the door. Once he closed it behind him, Paris' voice could be heard again.

"She's really mellowed with time, huh?" Jess asked, remembering his first meeting/debate with Paris when he'd moved to Stars Hollow.

"Terrance, crafts and college, actually helped a great deal as well." Rory smile and took Jess' hand again. It felt natural to hold his hand. It just felt right.

"Terrance? Crafts?"

"Long story. So where are we going?" Rory said changing the stomach. As fun as it was to talk about Paris she wanted to talk about something else/

Jess smiled at her and said mysteriously, "It's a surprise."

* * *

**A/N: I know that Jess didn't find out about Logan yet. But that will be happening next chapter in a fun way. **

Also, I have a random thought. I was watching an episode in season 2 yesterday with my friend last night. The one where Lorelai gets an ice cream maker with no return address on it. And I had a weird thought. Could that have been the gift the Emily got her and refused to tell her what it was? What do you guys think?


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Gilmore Girls.**

This chapter is a little longer than the last ones.

______________________________________________________________________________Logan knew Rory said she had a lot to do but he felt like he hadn't really seen her in awhile. So, he decided to grab some of her favorite Chinese take-out to surprise her. He figured her 'stuff to do' was studying. He also knew how Rory got when she buried herself in her schoolwork. She would forget to eat. That is until her stomach was collapsing in from hunger and the loud growls interrupted her concentration. Logan thought that if he showed up with food, he would not only get her attention but also make him her knight in shinning amour.

With all that in mind, Logan was genuinely shocked when Paris answered the door rather than Rory.

"What do you want?" Paris never did do too well with pleasantries or small talk. She made the proverbial 'bull in a china shop' seem calm and polite.

"Just looking for Rory. Figured she'd be hungry about now." Logan said indicating the take out bag he was carrying.

"She's not here. Maybe one of your other brainless bimbos would be interested in your pathetic attempts at wooing."

Logan chose to ignore Paris' bimbo comment. It was safer that way. And he wasn't about to discuss his personal life with her. So he just asked, "You don't happen to know when she'll be back, do you?"

Paris sighed, "Considering who she is with, if Rory's not back in the morning I'm going to assume she isn't coming back and I'll call the police. Besides, why do you care? It's not like she's your main squeeze anyway."

Paris didn't want to consider Jess talking Rory into 'running away' with him but she couldn't completely rule it out either. Knowing the two of them.

"What are you talking about, Paris?"

"I'm talking about the fact that you don't seem to think Rory's good enough for you. She isn't your usual type, I guess. Seeing as how she actually has most of her brain cells left-"

"No, Paris. I meant, what do you mean by 'if she's not back by morning I'm assuming she isn't coming back'?" Rory not coming back? Who was she with that would stop her from coming back? Rory would never willingly leave school. Never.

Paris sighed, "Look, Huntzburger, if you don't care enough about Rory to give her your full attention then I see no reason why I should be forced to waste my time spelling everything out for you."

"Come on, Paris, who is she with that would make you think that she might not come back?" It had to be that 'friend' that she was with last night.

"Why do you care?"

"Paris, come on. Just tell me."

Paris sighed. Two times in as many days there was a guy at the door annoying her for information about Rory. "If I tell you, will you go away?"

"If you tell me, I won't bother you for the rest of the night. Deal?"

"Fine. She's out with her ex-boyfriend, Jess. He's the Heathcliff to her Catherine. The Romeo to her Juliet. And before you ask, no, I don't know where they are. Even if I did I wouldn't tell _you_."

Logan was still catching up when the door slammed in his face. He was completely lost. A normal place to be after talking to Paris, true, but knowing something was possibly wrong with Rory put him on edge.

He decided the easiest way to get some answers and make sure Rory was ok was to go to the source and talk to Rory. Logan pulled out his cell phone and dialed her number.

* * *

When Jess parked his car in front of an empty store front, not far from Yale, Rory looked ay him in confusion, "I thought we were going to lunch?"

"We are. I know better than to promise you food and then not deliver. Come on." Jess got out of the door and walked up to the door.

"Jess, this place is obviously empty. There's nothing in there." Rory said through the open car window. Rory thought he'd fixed his troubled ways. But breaking into an empty store was making her begin to question that assumption.

"Haven't they taught you to look past the surface in that fancy school of yours?" Jess motioned for her to get out of the car.

"I'm not breaking into an empty store, Jess. That's something that my fancy school taught me was wrong."

"It's not breaking in if you have a key, Gilmore." Jess said, twirling a key around his pointer finger. "Now, Come on, I want to show you something."

Rory was even more confused. Why would Jess have the key to this place.

Jess unlocked the door and held it open for Rory. "You know, you're curious, just trust me."

He didn't want this conversation to turn too serious, too fast, but he needed to do this right.

The Gilmore stubbornness shinning through and Jess was close to actually begging. '_Where did my dignity go?'_ Jess thought. '_Oh yea, I lost that when I decided Rory Gilmore was worth just about anything.'_

Finally, Rory relented. When she walked in. She lost all ability to speak.

Rory was standing in a store lined with floor to ceiling bookshelves with more medium height bookcases erratically set about the room. In the center there was a large blanket on the floor with what looked to be, and smelled like, Indian take out.

"Jess, what is this place?"

"Let's just sit for a minute." Jess led her to the blanket he has laid out.

Rory continued looking around trying to guess what was going on. Jess let Rory stare and wonder for a few more moments, while he set out the food. As much as he disliked the smell of Indian food he remembered Rory ordering it when her mother was out of town. He had interrupted that night and she had to cancel the order. This was his way of making up for that part at least. He wasn't the least bit sorry about how the rest of the evening panned out.

"I called the Indian place in Stars Hollow and asked what you usually ordered from there. So I knew what to get."

"You hate Indian food." Rory said in a daze. He'd gone through a lot of trouble to do this. Just for her.

"But you don't. I got myself a cheeseburger." Jess explained off handedly.

Rory's curiosity was growing to monumental proportions. She felt like if she didn't get answers soon her head was likely to explode.

Jess looked around casually, then asked, "So what do you think of this place?"

"You mean besides being empty?"

"Yes, besides it being empty. With a little more work, this place could be great."

"As what? What could this place be great for?" Rory was just becoming more and more confused. All she was getting from Jess were more questions, rather than answers.

"People can display their artwork on the walls in the space between the shelves. There can be a few chairs over there." Jess went on pointing to an open area in the back corner. Jess was enjoying the confused look on Rory's face. "There's even enough room for a small coffee bar."

"So, this is what? A new bookstore?" Rory was starting to catch on. She could imagine everything Jess was saying. Even if she didn't completely know where it was leading.

"And it's close enough to Yale to draw in the students. Off campus but within walking distance. Right?" Jess was getting excited picturing it in his head. This was really going to work. He could feel it.

"All very true." Rory nodded. "As much as I love the hypothetical thing we have going on here, I would greatly appreciate a small dose of reality."

'_it's now or never._' Jess thought. Taking a deep breath, he dove in. "So you like the place."

"Yes, I can see its potential. Why? What is this about?"

"I'm glad you like it." Jess smiled.

"Why does me liking it matter?"

" 'Cuz I just bought it." There he finally said it.

Rory didn't know what to say. Jess bought this place? This was going to be a store… owned by Jess? The entire hypothetical conversation wasn't actually hypothetical? While all these thoughts swirled around her mind, Jess continued.

"Well, Truncheon Books just bought it. We're a small publishing house, bookstore, and art patron in Philly. We pinched some pennies, got a good deal on a loan and now were opening three new locations in New England.

"We?" Rory asked, still reeling from the fact that Jess said he bought this building.

"Matt, Chris, James and… well… me." Jess was starting to feel extremely vulnerable. He knew Rory would demand explanations but he didn't realize that he was going to feel like this when he told her.

"You work for a publishing house?"

Rory knew he worked but she'd never actually pictured what kind of work he did. As she asked, she realized it wasn't too much of a stretch. In fact, it made perfect sense. Jess surrounded by manuscripts, reading, editing, forming his own opinions. Jess was perfect for that kind of job.

"Technically, I'm partial owner now."

After a few moments the weight of everything Jess just told her hit Rory like a semi-truck speeding downhill.

"Oh! You own it? You're a publisher? Are you moving back here? Where are the other places going to be?"

Cutting to, what he believed, was the heart of the matter. Jess looked into Rory's eyes and asked, "Do you want me to move here?"

It was a question with massive implications. Rory stared at Jess, utterly frozen.

Jess took advantage of her silence and said, "You don't have to answer now. Take you time. Think it over. Make one of your pro/con lists. So what you need to do. Just let me know when you have an answer. Ok?"

All Rory could do was nod, silently. Jess leaned over and pressed a kiss to Rory's forehead. "Ok then, let's eat."

* * *

Lorelai walked into the kitchen of the Dragonfly to grab another cup of coffee and talk to Sookie. She desperately needed to vent without being judged.

"Hey, Lorelai! I'm sorry I changed the dinner menu at the last minute again today. I just… Oh no!" Sookie stooped when she looked up from her mixing bowl and saw her best friends face. ""What happened?"

"Luke and I got in a fight, In the middle of the diner. In front of everyone, I'm sure Taylor is busting out the ribbons again, as we speak." Lorelai groaned remembering the town being divided. Thinking about that still hurt.

"Why? What happened? I thought you two fixed the Emily/Christopher issue.

Lorelai sat on the stool and put her head on the table top. "It wasn't about that. Although, it wasn't an entirely new argument either."

"I'm lost, Hun."

"Jess." Was all Lorelai said.

"I'm going to need more than that if you want some kind of feedback."

Lorelai looked up and said, "Jess is back."

"Ahh! And you're worried about Rory?" Sookie asked, catching on.

"Of course, I am. Do you remember what happened the last time Mr. Coffield blew through town?"

Sookie got a dreamy look in her eyes. "He wanted her to run away with him. It sounded so romantic, like it was from one of those old movies. The boy from the bad side of town wins the heart of the most beautiful girl."

Lorelai couldn't see the romantic side of it because she just remembered the aftermath. "Do you remember what happened next?"

"Dean."

"Exactly, Dean. Rory slept with Dean. Who was married."

Sookie sighed. "Well, to be fair, It wasn't just Rory who messed up there. Dean was just as much at fault there."

Sookie tried reasoning. In her mind, yes, Rory made a terrible mistake. But She wasn't the one who cheated on their spouse with an ex.

"I know Dean screwed up there, too. But then I, stupidly, sent her off to Europe with my mother. Thinking it would give her time to think and understand what she was doing."

It nearly killed her to remember those two months. The stilted, awkward phone calls. The emotionless emails. Seeing all the post cards Rory had sent to Lane hanging all over the diner.

Sookie winced, "Oh yea, that was the worst and longest fight you two have had. Even though what you did was right. She needed to be out of the situation to think about it."

"Exactly, Our worst fights always start with Jess! The basket festival when Dean complained to me. After she came home from Washington. The time she missed my graduation because she went to New York to see Jess. Oh and the screaming match at my father's launch party after Jess crashed her car."

"Oh! I had almost forgot about that accident." In truth, Sookie really had almost forgotten about it. From what she'd heard it was an accident. Somehow she knew that Jess had been more upset about it than anybody. She had just kept silent when Lorelai went into a rage about it.

"Yea, well, when I found out he is back … I went to Luke's and…" Lorelai trailed off remembering the yelling.

Sookie could see where this was going and it didn't sound good.

"I went to Luke's and told him to keep Jess away from Rory." Lorelai said a little sheepishly.

"I'm guessing Luke didn't take that to well." Sookie said, while getting a piece of chocolate cake for Lorelai. Talking about boyfriend troubles was always easier when there was chocolate involved.

"No, he started yelling about Rory and Jess being adults and how Jess was doing so much better."

Sookie tried to her opinions to herself on this subject. Because she knew where Lorelai stood, and it was her job as Lorelai's best friend to be supportive.

But Lorelai knew Sookie and she could see when Sookie was holding back. "Come on, Sookie. Spit it out."

"It's just… well…"

"What, Sookie?"

"I'm sorry, Hun, but if Jess always effects Rory this deeply then…"

Lorelai knew what Sookie was getting at.

"You think Rory still has feelings for Jess?" As much as Lorelai hated the thought, she could admit, silently and to herself only, that it just might be true.

Sookie nodded and took the stool next to Lorelai and said, "I don't think Rory and Jess' story ever really ended."

"What do you mean 'didn't end'? They broke up, isn't that an ending? Or how about him running off with out a word? That seems like an ending to me?"

"Except for him always popping back up. And Rory always having an internal meltdown afterwards…"

After several moments Lorelai said," Maybe you're right. I just hate the fact that he can still hurt her."

"Rory will handle it. In her own way, of course. You should just try to be supportive. Listen. Try not to jump to conclusions."

Lorelai nodded, seeing the wisdom in what Sookie was saying. That girl may come off as a flake when it came to planning a menu but she was always on the spot with her observations.

"You're right, you're right. Rory's a big girl. I know she can handle it herself. And on the upside, this time we actually have some warning."

"Yes, now you go fix things with Luke."

Lorelai would still worry but she would do her best to take Sookie's advice and be supportive.

"Going!" Lorelai got up and left to head back to Luke's to talk things out.

* * *

Rory's cell phone interrupted Jess talking about his different ideas for the store. "Give me one sec." Rory dug through her bag and sighed when she saw 'LOGAN' on her caller ID. She shook her head as she pressed ignore.

"You don't want to answer that?"

"Nope. If it's important he'll leave a voicemail." Rory didn't want to spoil this time with Jess. She had told Logan she was going to be busy today. Why did he only want to call her, be around her when he knew she had plans?

"Ok." Jess smiled as an idea came to him. He just wondered how long it would take Rory to catch on. ""We should go get ice-cream."

Rory looked up at him confused. "Ice-cream?"

"Yea, ice-cream."

Realization dawned in Rory's mind. "In cones?" She beamed at him.

Jess held out his hand and asked, "Is there any other way to eat ice-cream?"

"Not that I know of."

* * *

After they each had an ice-cream cone in hand they sat in a bench and began discussing anything that came to mind. Books. Movies. Music. Rory's cell phone rang again.

"Well, aren't you popular tonight?" Jess joked.

"Be quiet, you. Just because you don't have a cell phone doesn't make them useless."

Jess shook his head and reached into his coat pocket to show Rory that he had given up his anti-cell phone stance.

"I'm shocked. That's so…"

"Responsible?" Jess tried to supply a word to describe his new way of life.

Rory smiled and pulled out her cell phone, thinking it was Logan again she almost pressed ignore again without glancing at the screen. Luckily she saw 'MOM' just before she did. "It's my mom, sorry, I have to take this."

"Tell her I said Hi." Jess joked knowing that if Lorelai knew he was near her daughter she would come after him like he was the world's largest cup of coffee.

Rory walked a few feet away from the bench before she answered. "Hello?"

'_Hey, Sweets.'_ Rory could hear that her mom was upset but trying to hide it by sounding up beat.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

'_I've got to tell you something and I really don't want to…'_ Lorelai sighed.

"Oook, Is it bad?" Rory asked feeling nervous.

'_I'm not sure. It's about…well… it's some town news.'_

"Town news. Did someone get hurt?"

'_No, no one's been hurt…yet.' _

"What do you mean 'yet', mom? Who's going to get hurt?" Rory raised her voice trying to get her mom to focus. Rory looked over at Jess, he'd evidently heard the last part because he mouthed, 'Everything ok?'

Rory just shrugged and turned her attention back to her mother's voice.

'_Jess is back. I haven't seen him but Luke confirmed it earlier.'_

Lorelai waited for Rory to pretend everything was fine, when it really wasn't. So she was floored when Rory quietly responded, "I knew that. I'm actually out with him right now…"

Rory knew she should have called her mom last night, after dinner, but she just couldn't make herself dial the numbers. Telling her mom would have made it a big deal It would have somehow made the whole evening more real. Rory just wanted to enjoy Jess' presence for a little while without all the messy complications and questions.

'_WHAT?! You're with him right now? Like a date? Catching up? Did he just show up at Yale? Why didn't you tell me?' _Lorelai was hurt. Why hadn't Rory called her and told her what was going on. One day with Jess back and Rory was already keeping secrets.

"Mom, I had a lot of studying to do. I promise I'll give you all the details this weekend." Rory almost whispered. She knew her mom was upset but she didn't want Jess to know that she was going to tell her mom everything he'd said.

Jess sat watching Rory turn, at least, ten different shades of red. He didn't have to hear the conversation to know what was going on. He knew it would take a couple days, at most, for Lorelai to know everything he has just told Rory. '_Package deal.' _Jess thought. _'They come as a package deal.' _

'_This weekend?' _Lorelai was confused. Why did she have to wait? Usually, she and Rory at least mentioned important happenings to each other.

"Yes, this weekend. I was thinking I would swing by the Hollow for the weekend after Friday Night Dinner. That ok?"

"_Really? A whole weekend?' _

"Yes, and I swear I was going to tell you, mom." Rory wanted her mother to be sure of that.

Lorelai sighed ,'_I know sweets. Mommy just goes a little crazy sometimes. Details later though?' _

"Yes, details are definitely forthcoming."

'_See you Friday. I'll grab movies.'_

"Friday. I'll bring junk food."

When Rory joined Jess on the bench again he asked, "Everything good?"

"Stars Hollow is just reeling from the return of its hoodlum." Rory joked.

"Called to warn the town princess, did they?" Jess put his arm around her and gently pulled her closer to his side.

"Of course, the personal body guard should be here any minute." Rory leaned into his chest, enjoying his closeness.

"So I should steal you away now, before Kirk shows up?"

"Well, if you wanted a chance to get away with it, yea."

Rory looked at Jess to see him smiling at her. The smile that always made her heart skip a beat. With out thinking, acting totally on instinct, Rory closed the distance and pressed her lips to his.

After half a heart beat Jess responded. He moved his hand to cup her cheek and deepen the kiss. In that moment everything was right in his world.

When Rory finally pulled away all Jess could think to say was, "Wow."

Rory though she'd done something wrong. "I'm sorry. I know you said you didn't want to rush and then I-"

Jess did the only thing he could think of to stop a Gilmore mid-rant. He leaned over and kissed her again.

It was Rory's turn to say, "Wow."

Jess decided new words should be used, "So you're visiting your mom tomorrow?"

"You heard that?" Rory blushed again. Knowing that if he heard that then he more than likely heard the rest of the conversation.

"I've got incredibly good ears."

"Yea. I haven't been home in a while and the laundry is piling up."

"Since we're both going to be there, maybe we should get together, catch a movie, shock the town." Jess could just see the heads turning.

Rory laughed. "I can hear it now! Can Zach and Lane joined us?"

"Like a double date kind of thing?"

"Well… I mean… only if that's what you want it to be. Or it could be friends getting together?" Rory realized that might be taking it too far. She knew Jess wasn't good with groups. Also, he and Lane always had some issues with each other.

Jess gently kissed Rory. She couldn't imagine how cute her rambling was to him. She was utterly enthralling to him. "If that's what you want, then I'll be there. But you have to promise me one thing…"

"What's that?"

"Protect me from Lane. She's perfecting her version of the Mrs. Kim glare by practicing on me."

Rory laughed. "That I can do."

* * *

As Jess walked Rory home they talked more about his business. How he started working there, how he worked his way up to partial owner.

It was fascinating to Rory. She could almost see all the things Jess was telling her about. She was so happy for Jess. She always knew he could do great things one he set his mind to it.

When they reached her door the same awkward feeling from the last time they stood there last night came rushing back.

To break the silence Jess asked, "So you still do those Friday Night Dinners?"

"Yea, my grandparents are paying for Yale so that means I have to. Unfortunately."

"Huh, you used to like those dinners, what changed?"

"Grandma broke my mom and Luke up. Then the whole town did this ribbon thing. Until mom and Luke fixed things." Rory remembered having to yell at Taylor in the middle of his store. Jess would appreciate that.

"Long story kind of thing?"

"Yea, involving my drunken dad and Luke screaming at each other over who is more of a father to me. And a whole bunch of other things." Rory omitted the part where she was in a state of undress with Logan, she wasn't sure that Jess would want to hear about that.

"Ok, well stop by Luke's on your way home and fill me in. And I've got one more thing to show you."

"What is it?" Rory asked, feeling excited.

" You'll see." He smiled at Rory. She never had done well with surprises.

"No chance I could convince you to change your mind and tell me now?"

"Nope. Anticipation is half the fun." He stepped a little closer.

"No it's not. It's distracting. I'll be thinking about it all day tomorrow." Rory wrapped her arms around Jess' neck. Thinking she could always try flirting it out of him.

Jess moved his hands to her waist and leaned into whisper in her ear. "I like you thinking about me."

"Really?"

"Yea, really." This time when Jess kissed her he was slow and gentle. He wanted to show Rory that he was serious. That this time everything was different.

Jess pulled away and pressed his forehead to hers. "Luke's tomorrow?"

"Ok, Luke's tomorrow. Can you at least give me a hint-?" Rory's pouting was interrupted by Logan almost magically appearing behind Jess.

"Ace!"

'_Oh no!'_ Rory thought. The only way this could end was badly. "Logan, what are you doing here?"

Jess watched all the color drain from Rory's complexion before he turned around to see who this 'Logan' guy was. From the way Blondie was glaring Jess was left to assume he wsnt happy about what he was seeing. Without taking his eyes off Logan, Jess asked, "New guy?"

It suddenly struck Jess that this was almost exactly like his first encounter with 'Farmer John". It was amusing how things worked out like that. Like life really was handing him a do -over.

"No. We've just been on a few dates. We're just sort of … casual, is the best way to describe it." Rory muttered hating the way that sounded. She hated how saying it made her feel.

Rory was also worried that Jess would get upset and disappear again. From the way Logan was trying to stare Jess down she didn't need to guess how he was feeling about it.

Jess surprised Rory by chuckling and looking at her with laughter in his eyes, "Casual, huh? What, he can't handle you and your wild ways?"

Logan had heard enough. He didn't like what seeing Rory with someone else made him feel like. "I can handle her just fine. We're just not that serious, yet. Right, Ace?"

Jess never thought of Rory as a 'casual dating' kind of girl. To be honest, he couldn't understand someone wanting to be 'not that serious' with Rory. But Jess could see this Logan guy wasn't enjoying the thought of Rory spending time with another guy. Which meant that he wanted Rory to be serious with him. While this dumbass got to be 'casual' with her. It was a serious Marie Antoinette complex. "Ace? What you can't remember her actual name?"

"Jess!" Rory had to stop this before it turned ugly.

Jess held up his hands in a mock surrender and said, "Just a joke."

Jess smiled at Rory then kissed her gently on the cheek, "I'll see you tomorrow at Luke's."

As Jess walked by Logan he just couldn't help himself. "Oh and I guess I'll see you around 'casual Yale guy.'

Rory stood there amazed. Jess didn't storm off. He didn't get angry. Jess seemed to find this whole encounter amusing.

It was Logan, the guy who wanted no strings, who seemed to be really upset.

Before Rory could think of anything to say, Logan said, "We need to talk."

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry it took a couple days. I should actually be able to update a little faster since I got a netbook! Love it!

I think Emily and Richard will be making an appearance next chapter. Maybe even a little Dean. Any suggestions?


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Still not the owner. **

Sorry the update took so long. My life kept getting in the way of writing. Don't you hate it when that happens?

* * *

Lorelai had her speech planned in her head before she walked into the diner. She knew she had been over protective. Luke was right, Jess and Rory were both adults and they had to make their own choices. She no longer had the right to dictate who could and could not be in Rory's life. Even though as a mother she would always want to shield her daughter from any potential harmful thing. But Lorelai needed to accept that there would be times when she couldn't step in. And this was one of those times.

Lorelai moved to sit quietly at the counter to wait for Luke to stop cursing in the kitchen. It took just long enough for the Lorelai's well thought out speech to sound rambling even in her own head.

When Luke came out of the kitchen, he stopped immediately when he saw Lorelai. No matter what they had said to each other, just the sight of Lorelai always brightened his mood. "Hey." He said quietly.

"Luke, I am so sor-" Lorelai's apology was cut off by Taylor charging to the counter.

"Luke, is it true that you are allowing that vagrant nephew of yours to stay in Stars Hollow?"

"Why is it any business of yours, Taylor?"

"As head of the Stars Hollow Community Crime Prevention Watch and Town Magistrate, I need to know how long he will be here, so the necessary precautions can be put in place." Taylor didn't care how much that ruffian seemed to have changed, he was not to be trusted.

"Precaution for what?" Luke bellowed forgetting about Lorelai's previous lightening effect on his temper.

"Precaution to keep Jess from repeating his past antics and crimes, Luke. Let's not forget the business he lost my market with that fake murder of his."

Just as Luke was about to break his record for volume when yelling at the town busy-body Lorelai stood up to face Taylor head on. "I know I'm repeating myself here, but back off, Taylor."

Taylor was shocked, "I would have thought you, of all people, would be behind me on this Jess situation, Lorelai. Especially, after the way he treated poor Rory!"

"No, Taylor, you don't get to say anything about that. Or anything about Jess being back in town. The last time I checked, it was still a free country. You aren't Stars Hollow's very own version of Mussolini, no matter how much you want to be. So, you don't get to control everything and everyone" Even if Lorelai wasn't overly fond of Jess she was over Taylor's meddling and she knew she wasn't the only one/. After all, the town did recently elect Jackson as selectman rather than Taylor.

"As a business owner, I have every right to take steps to prevent crimes and protect the community from a known vandal. You own The Dragonfly, do you want that boy anywhere near _your_ establishment?" Taylor puffed out his chest, thinking he had won this argument, Lorelai would never let Jess step foot on her property.

As usual, Taylor deeply underestimated Lorelai's habit of defying expectation. "You know what, Taylor, Jess is more than welcome at The Dragonfly! In fact, I'll give him a free room, just because it will irritate you."

Lorelai didn't know where that came from. It just spilled of her mouth without thought but she decided even as she said it, she would follow through.

Luke looked on, speechless. A few hours ago Lorelai was telling him to keep Jess away, he thought Taylor and Lorelai would be on the same page. Now, she was giving him a place to stay at her Inn. "What are you talking about, Lorelai?" Luke asked hesitantly.

The more Lorelai thought about it this was the perfect revenge for all the hassle Taylor put her through when she was starting the Inn.

"I'm talking about giving Jess a free room at the Dragonfly. If Taylor doesn't like it then, maybe, he'll remember all the things he's done to me and think twice next time."

Taylor's jaw dropped, "I've never done anything to you, Lorelai. Besides ensure you follow all the town codes and bylaws."

"What about the ribbons? And that horribly unnecessary walk through with the Historical Society? Constantly denying me extra parking? Changing the Inn's street name to Sores and Boils Alley? Would you like me to keep going? 'Cuz believe me, there's more."

Taylor stood in the now silent diner, staring. Lorelai may have been a nuisance to him on a small scale but she'd never done anything like this. "You are getting more like Luke everyday." Taylor said in a huff.

"OUT TAYLOR!" Luke finally screamed, having heard enough.

Once Taylor stormed out, Luke turned to Lorelai, "Are we good now?"

Lorelai could tell that Luke didn't want to talk about this subject anymore. He just wanted everything to go back to normal, or as normal as it could be in Stars Hollow. "We will be when you pour the coffee."

Luke made her coffee while contemplating everything that just happened. Her standing up for Jess was better than any apology. "Were you serious about the room thing?"

Lorelai smiled wickedly, thinking of all the positively funny things Jess being at the Dragonfly would cause. Taylor annoyed: check. Michel irritated: check. Watching Sookie make Jess nervous on many, many levels: check. "More than serious. Send him around when he gets back, k?"

* * *

Logan stormed past Rory into her dorm's common room. He couldn't understand why seeing Rory with someone else made him so angry, it felt like his blood was boiling. "Who was that guy?"

Rory watched Logan pacing the length of the room. She could see he was upset but for some reason she was just terribly amused by it. "That was Jess."

"I don't like him." Logan said, expecting Rory to apologize or do something, anything, to make this situation better.

"I couldn't tell. Thank you for clearing that up for me." Rory was smiling on the inside, thinking Jess would be proud at the improvement in her sarcastic comments.

"Are you two dating or something?" Logan had seen the way they were before he'd said anything. There was no way they were just 'friends'.

"Something in that realm, I guess. We haven't really discussed the details." Why was Logan acting this was? Rory couldn't understand it. She had seen him with someone else and it was expected for her to be perfectly fine with it.

"I don't like it." Logan was trying to find the right words, he didn't like seeing her standing there with another guy touching her. Logan felt like it meant she was going to lose interest in him.

Rory sighed, this was going to get complicated, apparently. "Don't like what?"

"I don't like you with him. It bothers me."

"Logan, you're the one who said-"

"I know what I said. I also know that you said you weren't looking for anything serious. From what I saw you and _Jess_ looked pretty serious." Logan said Jess' name like it was a horrible disease to be avoided at all costs.

Logan couldn't help but feel passed over. As much as he didn't want anything serious with anyone. If Rory wanted to be serious he wanted her to be serious about him. Not someone else.

Rory wanted this to end. These were the messy complications she wasn't ready to deal with. "Logan, we agreed. No strings. It's not really your business who I spend my time with when I am not with you. At least not until it effects our 'arrangement', I guess is the best term."

Logan became quiet. He knew Rory was right. If she came at him this way, Logan would have run the opposite direction as quickly as his feet could carry him. Rory Gilmore was turning his world around and he didn't know what he was doing anymore.

Logan sighed, "I just… I don't know, you're special, Ace."

"You've said this before. I just need some time, Logan. Ok?"

"Yea, time." Logan said quietly. Knowing that if he gave her too much time it would basically end any chance he had with Rory.

"I promise I'll tell you if things need to change. And I'm sorry that you're so upset about this but you're the one who wanted no strings, so you can't come in here telling me you don't like who I'm spending time with. It's not fair. I didn't do that to you." Rory said as calmly as she could. Trying to relax. Maybe, she could make this all ok.

"You're right. I don't know why I pulled this jealous boyfriend act." It was a lie. Logan knew why he was so upset. He just didn't have the right to be. Not yet, at any rate.

* * *

Jess walked into the diner and conversation still stopped. '_This town needs to lighten up.'_ Jess thought. "Hey Luke, I'm back"

"Oh, hey. Umm…" Luke was trying to decide the best way to talk to Jess about the Lorelei thing.

Jess could always tell when Luke was struggling to say something. "Spit it out. What happened?"

"Lorelai wants you to go by the Inn. She's got something she wants to run by you." Direct and to the point was always best with Jess, Luke knew that.

"You mean she has something she wants to run me over with, right?"

Luke couldn't help but chuckle. "No, that was her plan earlier. Then she has a run in with Taylor."

"And they came up with a more interesting plan?" Jess couldn't see anything good for him coming from Lorelai and Taylor talking. Those two were constantly battling over who hated him more. He was fairly certain they had secret buttons.

"Nothing like that. Just go talk to Lorelai. She's the one with the crazy idea. I'm staying out of it."

Jess thought about it for a moment. He knew if he was really going to try with Rory he'd have to, at least, be civil with Lorelai. He still remembered the stern warning Rory had given him while he was cleaning her gutters. "Ok."

He decided to head over there now and get this over with. Like ripping a band-aid off.

* * *

"Lorelai, that horrible boy who hurt Rory is in the reception area for you." Michel said, walking into the Dragonfly's kitchen. As much as Michel pretended not to care about these things he had a small protective streak when it came to that girl. He had watched her grow up into a slightly less annoying version of her mother.

"Would you like me to have him thrown out or should I just ignore him?"

"No, I got this one, Michel." Lorelai had already told Sookie about her idea. Sookie was already making the five course 'Thank you/Welcome Home' feast.

"Send him back here when you're done!" Sookie called, without turning from her stove.

"Jess" Lorelai said by way of greeting.

"Hey." Jess stood when Lorelai came in. "Should I have put on body armor before coming or…?"

"No, no protection necessary, promise. I just need a small favor. Teeny tiny, no big deal."

"What's that?" The only things he could think she'd want from him was to stay away from Rory, which he wasn't going to do, and his head on a platter. He was amazed when he heard what she had to say.

"I need you to stay here, at the Inn, and, possibly, cause a small amount of trouble with Taylor. Nothing too big, just you know, something like the fake murder but new."

"Huh. Did I enter an alternate universe when I crossed into town or something?"

Lorelai was ready for his suspicion. "Taylor needs to pay for a few things and, well, let's be honest, you're better at that sort of thing than me. So, free room, free food, I'll even throw in a book or something in exchange for you causing a little mischief. Deal?"

Jess processed this. "You _want _me to pull a prank?"

"On Taylor?" Lorelai nodded.

"Huh. I'll do it. No bribe needed." Today just kept getting better and better. He as making progress with Rory, then he gets to simultaneously make amends with Lorelai and make Taylor crazy.

"I insist. You're in room seven." Lorelai handed him a key. "And Sookie has already started to assemble your, what can only be called, buffet. Head back to the kitchen, before she starts adding more courses."

Seeing Jess, and hearing him actually talk, Lorelai was starting to see what Luke was saying. Jess was different. He wasn't Andy Hardy, by any means. But he was less '_lock up your valuables' _.

"Uh, do I have the option of saying no?" Jess would never say it out loud but Sookie almost scared him. She was nice but just barely on this side of sane. She, also, waved knives around. Jess was a big believer in keeping sharp objects out of slightly disturbed hands.

"Not really, she'll just hunt you down and drag you back."

Jess nodded, "Figured. Which way is the kitchen?"

Lorelai was stunned. Not only did Jess carry on a full conversation with her, he was even going to humor Sookie. So she just pointed.

"Hey Lorelai." Jess said in a mock whisper.

"Yea?"

"If I'm not out of there in, say, an hour, send search and rescue."

"No promises." Lorelai actually laughed.

Jess just shook his head with a smile and trudged to the kitchen.

* * *

After Rory's Friday classes and a little studying, she got ready to head to her grandparents. She loved seeing her grandfather but having to sit with Emily was nerve wracking.

'_And so it begins'_ Rory thought as her grandma walked into the foyer.

"Rory, you look wonderful."

"Thank you." Rory was still keeping things glacially cold with Emily.

Emily was trying her best to pretend everything was normal. The last time she talk about this subject things had quickly turned to yelling. "How is school?"

"Fine."

"And the paper?"

"Also fine."

Emily was sure this would have continued if Richard hadn't come out if his study. "Rory!"

"Grandpa, Hey! How are you?" Rory's entire demeanor changed. She happily hugged Richard.

"I am wonderful. How are you?" Richard loved seeing Rory. She was an angel in his eyes. Even though she and Emily were fighting or some such nonsense, having Rory here Friday nights was the highlight of his week.

"I'm doing very well." Rory smiled.

"Let's move this to the living room, shall we?" Emily interjected.

"Fine." Rory could easily switch from bubbly to cold in an instant. Being friends with Paris had taught her that trick.

Richard tired to start a new conversation, "So tell us, what is new in your life this week?"

Rory began talking about her classes and a few funny anecdotes from the paper. Then she realized Jess' news might actually interest her grandfather as well. "An old friend is also opening a new bookstore near Yale."

Richard's ears perked up. "One that I've heard of?"

Richard loved perusing different bookstores, especially smaller independent ones. You could always find a new treasure on the shelves.

"I don't think so. Truncheon Books.. They are based out of Philadelphia, The company is buying three new locations in New England."

"What old friend?" Emily asked trying to become involved in the talk.

Rory barely glanced in her direction before saying, "Jess."

"Jess?" Emily repeated, voice rising. She remembered that disgusting boy, Emily had been glad when he seemingly dropped of the face of the Earth years ago.

"Luke's nephew."

Richard didn't make the connection, having never met this Jess. Nor did he notice Emily's face. "That sounds incredibly exciting. Where, exactly, will it be?"

"No, Richard, this is not exciting." Emily interrupted the flow of the conversation before turning to look at Rory. "Rory, you can't honestly tell me that you still speak with that horrible thug."

Emily couldn't understand this. She had thought Rory and Logan were making a connection at her vow renewal. No one thought that Emily had noticed Rory and Logan dancing but she had. And now, this Jess reappears to ruin everything.

"Yes, he and I still talk occasionally. He actually showed me where the store is going to be and its amazing. He still has some work to do before it opens. But you can really tell it's going to be beautiful." Rory told her grandfather.

Emily didn't care a thing about all of that. "Rory, that is just unaccepted-"

Rory didn't even let her grandmother finish the though before saying calmly, "I'm really not interested in you opinion, Grandma."

Before Richard could jump into mediate Emily said, "Excuse me? Young lady, I am your grandmother, my opinion should, most certainly, interest you."

"In most cases, I agree, a grandmother's opinion does matter but not in ours."

"Rory!" Emily was shocked, just because Lorelai was upset with her, Rory was acting like a sullen, rebellious teenager.

"Emily, let's just change the subject." Richard didn't want this evening to end badly. He wanted to enjoy a pleasant time with his wife and granddaughter.

"I will not be spoken to like this in my own house. If think Rory shouldn't be spending time with someone then she should listen to me. I am her grandmother. I am, also, absolutely right." Emily was tired of pretending everything was fine. If she thought Rory was about to go down the wrong path, Emily felt it was her responsibility to step in and stop it.

Just as Rory was about to explode in a Lorelai worthy rant, Richard stood up. "Emily, we are not discussing this tonight."

"Thank you, Grandpa." Rory smiled at him, grateful that he stopped this argument before it got too ugly.

Emily sat, seething in her chair, listening to Rory and Richard talk. Knowing that no matter what anyone said that walking disaster would be no where near her granddaughter. Not if she could do anything about it.

* * *

Jess, actually, enjoyed staying at Lorelai's Inn. Sookie, while still crazy, was friendly. Plus, annoying the stuck up French guy was a perk. Jess was pretty sure he was learning quite a few French obscenities.

Jess went to the diner to help Luke with the lunch rush and to wait for Rory to get done with her grandparents. He had her surprise wrapped and in his bad behind the counter. While Jess wanted to give it to her, he was also incredibly nervous.

Luke watched Jess standing behind the counter reading a book. It was like the years melted away. "What are you doing here, Jess?"

Jess looked up from his book with a small smile, "Aw jeez, Uncle Luke, didn't miss me? I'm hurt."

Luke sighed he was tired of not knowing exactly what Jess was up to. This evasive crap was over. "You know what I mean."

"Well, since you asked so nicely…" Jess was really enjoying this. He loved watching Luke flustered. It was kind of like a game, to push him so far with out pushing him over the edge.

"Come on, Jess."

"I bought a place near Yale."

"What are you talking about?"

"I work for an independent bookstore. We're opening another store near Yale."

Luke thought about it for a moment. He wasn't shocked Jess worked with books, so that wasn't really news. "Wait, Yale?"

Jess knew he was going to have this talk with Luke eventually, so it may as well be now. "Yes, Yale. The store is geared toward college students, so it's usually a good idea to have the venue near a college. Just some good business advice."

"Rory goes to Yale." Luke deadpanned.

"Thank you for the bulletin, Captain Obvious." Jess tried to turn back to his book. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk to Luke about it, he just didn't know if he was ready to actually say everything out loud.

Luke walked over and took Jess' book away. "Jess, are you doing all this for Rory?"

With a sigh Jess answered honestly. "She's the reason I'm here, personally. If she wants me to stay, I stay. If she doesn't I'll go back to Philly or one of the other places were opening and another guy will come run the New Haven store."

Luke knew Jess wasn't over Rory. He's always secretly wondered if the two would end up trying again. But he didn't want to watch them possibly crash and burn again. Everyone assumed Rory was the only one who ended up hurt but Luke has seen that Jess hadn't walked away from their relationship totally unscathed.

"Three other places?"

"Yea, the others are going to be near Harvard and Princeton." Jess explained.

"You're really going to try this with Rory?" Luke wanted to gauge how serious Jess was.

"Yea, I really am." Jess said quietly.

Luke looked Jess in the eye, "Good. Don't screw it up this time. Got it?"

Jess laughed, "Aye aye, Captain."

After a few moments Jess cleared his throat. "So Rory mentioned you got into it with her dad…"

Luke looked up startled. Luke had done his level best to forget that horrible night. And what sparked that verbal cage match. "Yea, at the Gilmore's vow renewal thing."

"Huh. I thought I was the only one in our family who got in fights at weddings. How'd yours go?"

Luke hesitated, telling Jess about the Logan guy was not something he really wanted to do. "Uh, we caught Rory in a well… it's complicated." Luke blushed.

Jess didn't need to be a mind reader to have a fair idea what they caught Rory doing. "Let me guess, it involves a certain blonde guy?"

Luke's eyes shot to Jess'. "How did you know about him?"

"Had the pleasure of meeting him today actually." Jess leaned back into the counter.

"You did?' Luke wasn't sure what to make of this. Jess was talking to him, openly.

"Yea, I showed Rory the shop, when I was leaving he showed up."

"What happened?" Luke didn't see any bruises but Jess' past could mean that while Jess was unharmed the same couldn't be said of Logan.

"I was on my Sunday behavior." Jess smiled. Remembering the look casual guy gave him as he left.

"Sp you're not upset about him?" Luke asked skeptically.

"I figured there would be a 'him' so, no I'm not upset."

Just then the bell over the door signaled that they were alone anymore. Luke knew without turning around that it was Rory by the way Jess smiled.

"Hey." Rory said.

Jess grabbed his bag and went over to Rory. "I'm going to head out, Luke. I'll come back tomorrow to help open. That ok?"

Luke was already closing things up. "Sure, sure."

"Come on." Jess said opening the door for Rory.

Rory walked for a few minutes with Jess before she asked excited, "Are you going to show me that surprise anytime soon?"

Jess smiled at her impatience. "Soon enough. It really has been bugging you all day huh?"

Rory sighed, "Yes. As I said it was very distracting."

Jess put his arm around her shoulders and then decided to try and distract her. "You'll never guess where I'm staying."

Rory was suddenly confused. "I thought you were staying at Luke's."

"Nope. Change of plans. I'm at the one and only Dragonfly, now."

"My mom actually let you get a room there?" Rory knew her mom said that she wouldn't be evil to him but this was a far cry from that.

"She actually gave me the room."

"For free?" Rory said still shocked.

"Yup."

There had to be more to the story than this. Something was missing. "Why?"

"That's a secret that stays between me and your mom for now." Jess decided a little mystery was good. Keep Rory guessing.

He had been instinctively walking to their bridge. It was the natural place for him to go with her. It was where they spent most of their time together. So it seemed like the logical place to give her the surprise.

"Ok, You want your surprise now?"

Rory had also known where they were going from the moment they left the diner. This was their spot. Most of the important things in their relationship happened here. "Yes, please."

Jess reached into his bag and pulled out a simply wrapped brown package. He was still nervous about this one. More than when he showed her the store. This surprise was more personal then the store. He watched silently as Rory unwrapped it.

"The Subsect by Jess Mariano." Rory said almost to herself. Then she looked up.

"You wrote a book?" Rory's eyes sparkled with wonder.

All Jess could do was nod.

"You wrote a book!"

Jess continued to stand there silently while Rory opened the cover. He knew she had seen it when she become so still she resembled a very beautiful statue. Then Rory whispered almost to herself.

"To Rory Gilmore. Ernest and I will always only have lovely things to say about you."

Rory knew in that moment, that some part of her had always loved Jess. She leapt into his arms and fervently pressed her lips to his.

Jess kissed her back with the same passion. Think this was his home. Where ever Rory was, that was his home.

"Why am I not surprised?" Jess and Rory heard Dean's furious voice coming from the end of the bridge.

* * *

**Authors Note:** Let me know what you think.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**Disclaimer: **Still don't own it.

**Author's Note:** Again life got in the way of me posting. My house has been invaded with mutant squirrels. So I've been busy dealing with exterminators and contractors. Fun stuff, huh?

* * *

Lorelai was giddy with excitement about having Rory home for the whole weekend. Between their busy social schedules and work, it seemed like the two barely got to spend anytime together anymore. Turns out, Friday night dinners actually did have an upside.

For tonight she had gotten one order of everything at Al's, several boxes of Red Vines, brownies, ice-cream and, of course, a massive amount of chips. She'd also grabbed the classics, _Funny Face, My Fair Lady, Sabrina_ and _Children's Hour_. Lorelai figured an Audrey themed night was in order.

As Lorelai was carrying things from the kitchen to set up in the living room she heard the house phone begin to ring. When the machine picked up, Lorelai began thanking her lucky stars that her hands were full. The sound of Emily's infuriated voice filled the house.

'_Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, you pick up the phone RIGHT NOW! How can you stand by and let Rory throw her entire future away with that dreadful diner man's nephew?! Just because you seem to be at peace In such a low station doesn't mean Rory should be as well!' _

Lorelai was officially over her mother looking down on everything about her life. It was time to break this silence, with a thunderous bang.

Lorelai grabbed the phone from the hook and screamed, " MOM! I have no clue what you are talking about and, frankly, I don't care. You can stand in your ivory tower and pass all the judgments you want. But in all fairness, I should warn you, we poor, lowly commoners couldn't care any less about your commands. So maybe you should save your breath for more useful purposes. Like terrorizing maids, Bossing around the ladies of the DAR. Hell, join a theatre group and start starring as the villain in all their plays. Just leave me and my daughter out of it."

'_Lorelai! Do you not know that horrible boy, who didn't even graduate high school, is back? Do you not care enough to protect your own daughter from ruining her life?' _How could Lorelai not understand all this? Jess was not appropriate company for Rory and he should therefore be kept as far away from Rory as possible. Emily had assumed Lorelai would stand behind her on this issue.

"Of course I know Jess is back. I, also, know that Rory is an adult! She can make her own choices. You don't get to have a say in what she does!"

'_Lorelai!'_

"No, Mom. Don't 'Lorelai' me and do not call me again." Having said everything she could think to say Lorelai hung up the phone and threw herself on to the couch with a sigh. What there anything her mother didn't think she had the right to control? Sometimes Lorelai thought her mother and Taylor Doose would make a wonderful couple or even co dictators of their own country.

Lorelai mad a mental not to warn Rory about the possible battle ahead when she got home.

* * *

Rory felt her heart sink at the sound of Dean's voice. They hadn't spoken since the 'Male Yale' party at her grandparent's house. Even though Dean was the one who ended things, he still sounded hurt.

Jess didn't have to take time to think about the situation. He and Dean were always going to have this unnatural hatred for each other. Jess had made peace with it long ago. "I'd love to say you aren't surprised because you have psychic abilities but we both know that would take more brain power than you could ever hope to process."

Dean though he lad left Rory because he knew she deserved better than he could give her at the time. But somewhere, in the back of his mind, Dean always assumed that once he got his life in order he would be the one to end up with Rory. Seeing her with Jess, kissing Jess, made his stomach turn. Rory deserved so much better. But here she was, slumming it with Jess, again. "What are you doing with him, Rory?"

Rory looked at Dean with sad eyes. Rory had never wanted to hurt Dean but it always seemed to happen. It wasn't that He was a horrible guy, The two of them just never seemed to be able to make things work, to find the middle ground. "Dean, I-"

Dean suddenly didn't want to hear what Rory had to say. He had a feeling it would just be a rerun of something he'd heard before. "You know what, never mind. I don't want to hear it."

Jess was trying his best to stay out of this. He'd thought Dean was married so this jealous outburst was making Jess thin he was missing something important. "Shouldn't we be over this whole _West Side Story_ jealousy thing? I thought we had this out years ago."

Rory had been trying to avoid telling Jess about what happened between her and Dean. She was ashamed of the whole thing. Rory didn't think Jess could ever understand. How was she supposed to tell him this? '_Oh and by the way, the night after you asked me to run away with you I slept with Dean who was still married to Lindsey. I officially became a home wrecker . Oopsie. Want to go grab some coffee?' _

Dean stared at Jess with fire in his eyes before he dropped a bomb on what looked to be their perfect romantic evening. "Yea, we were over it when I was with Rory tow months ago. I guess, seeing you with her again just brought back some memories."

Jess looked at Rory to see if what Dean was saying was true. Two months ago? Wasn't Dean married then? As Jess looked at her he could almost see the story written on Rory's face. Dean wasn't lying.

Two months ago. Two months ago. Two months ago, was screaming in his ears, over and over.

No matter what Dean said, no matter how much Dean's words effected Jess, it wouldn't stop Jess from winning a verbal sparring match with the teutonic giant. "Wow, so even with me out of the picture _and_ you obviously leaving your wife, you still couldn't keep Rory? Man, that's pathetic."

Dean couldn't listen to this. He wasn't going to go through this again. So he just turned and stormed off. Dean knew Jess didn't deserve Rory but he couldn't come up with the right way to say it and make Rory understand.

After years of mutual hatred being the only thing Jess and Dean had in common, they could both honestly say they'd never gotten over Rory Gilmore.

Once Dean was out of ear shot, Jess looked Rory in the eye, "Anything you want to fill me in on?"

* * *

Jess had listen quietly to Rory's story about her some what drama filled second attempt with Dean. After she had finished, Jess couldn't even look at her with out seeing 'Prince Charming' touching her, holding her. The jealousy was like a dull blade gouging into his heart.

Jess walked her home in silence. Once they reached her yard he gave her an off had sort of 'Call you later'. Then he went out to find Luke.

Luke saw Jess' face the moment he walked into the apartment above the diner. Luke knew something was off. The glow Jess usually had after seeing Rory wasn't there. "What happened?"

Jess took a seat at the table in the middle of the room. As much as he hated talking about personal things he knew Luke would understand what was going on. "Dean." It was all he could force himself to say.

Luke should have known Dean would make an appearance sooner or later. That kid couldn't leave well enough alone and move on. In Luke's opinion Dean had made horrible choices and ruined his own life but he wouldn't be satisfied until he dragged Rory down with him. "Ah, I see where this is going."

"She went back to Dean?" Jess asked himself aloud. He just couldn't wrap his head around it.

"She turned to Dean in a moment of weakness." Luke corrected quietly. After Lorelai had told him the circumstances leading up to the doomed reconciliation, Luke had understood. Rory had always seen Dean as dependable, reliable. Dean was as far away from Jess a person could be without being polar opposites.

Dean's reappearance in Rory's life was her trying to prove to herself that Jess was a mistake. Rory going back to Dean was her unconscious attempt to erase the effect Jess had on her life while he was here and when he left.

"She was with him the night I went to Yale, the first time. I knew! I knew he wasn't over Rory." Rory had told him nothing had happened that night but Jess couldn't help but wonder if Deans presence before his arrival had effected her decision.

Even though Jess knew that Rory was right to turn him down, he couldn't stand the idea that Rory had chosen a chance with "Farmer John" over him.

Luke understood, Jess didn't want advice right now. He was still just sounding this whole thing out. Luke decided to let Jess continue without interruption.

"I don't know if I can handle this." Jess said sounding defeated. He needed space. He needed solitude. He needed time. He desperately needed something, anything, to make this ache go away.

Jess got up to leave. He didn't know where he was going. He just wanted to escape the thoughts of her with Dean.

When Jess reached the door, Luke hit him with a hard dose of reality. "If you leave now, you can't come back… to Rory, I mean."

Hearing it said, point blank made Jess understand the enormity of it all. Was this really what he came here for? An ending? Closure? His scrambling thoughts were interrupted when Luke continued, "You walk away again, it's over. No more changing your mind, no trying again. You hear me?"

"I just need time." Jess said, avoiding Luke's gaze. Then he turned and walked out.

* * *

Emily sat staring into space trying to think of some way she could stop this. Lorelai may not care but Emily would stop that, no doubt, jail bound vagabond from being any where near her granddaughter.

Logan was the perfect math for Rory. He was from a rich family of good social standing. Why couldn't Rory see that? What more could a girl possibly want?

Then the idea came to her, the Huntzburger's owned several well know publications around the world. Introducing them to Rory would seem perfectly natural. Emily smiled as she picked up the phone and dialed Shira Huntzburger's number.

"Hello, Shira. It's Emily Gilmore." Emily may fully believe that Shira was nothing but a two faced cocktail waitress, who happened to get lucky when she bagged Mitchum but Emily was not above playing nice to protect Rory.

'_Oh, hello, Emily! It's too long since we've talked, I'm delighted you called_.'

Only because Emily avoided her like the plague at every function they attended. After several minutes on small talk, Emily got to the point. "Shira, I know you and Mitchum are always so busy, but I was wondering if you would be available to have dinner with my family on Friday. My granddaughter, Rory, who goes to Yale with Logan will be here. And since she is a budding journalist, I was hoping Mitchum might be able to give her a few helpful ideas on breaking into the industry successfully."

'_Oh, what a wonderful idea. Mitchum absolutely loves to meet up and comers. Which I'm sure Rory is, if she's going to Yale. Of course, we would be happy to have dinner on Friday, Especially if you serve that wonderful lamb!'_

"Lamb it is then!" Emily smiled and the two women talked a little more about the gossip from their different engagements.

When Emily hung up the phone, she felt satisfied. Friday dinner with Rory and the Huntzburgers. Rory would see how well she and Logan suited one another and the hoodlum would simply fade away. Emily smiled imagining the wedding invitations. Ivory paper lined with pearls, saying:

_Richard and Emily Gilmore_

_Cordially invite you to witness the marriage of their granddaughter_

_Lorelai Leigh Gilmore_

_And_

_Logan Huntzburger_

It would be a summer, outdoor grand wedding. Emily could hardly wait.

* * *

Rory burst into her house nearly in tears. Dean had ruined everything. She could imagine Jess packing his things now. She could almost see it happening.

After she had confirmed what Dean had told Jess and tried to explain everything, Jess suddenly became almost silent. Granted, he was never overly verbose but tonight his quietness had a cold edge. "Mom!"

When Lorelai heard the desperation in her daughter's voice, she ran to the entryway. She saw Rory leaning against the door trying to hold back tears, it nearly broke her heart. She hated seeing Rory cry. "What happened?'

With just that simple question the dam broke and Rory started sobbing. She couldn't even say it out loud.

Lorelai rushed to Rory's side, wrapped her arms around her daughter and could only think that Jess was responsible for this. And as much as she wanted to hunt him down, taking care of Rory came first. "Come on, sweetie, the couch is so much more comforting than the door. He's always been so rigid and unforgiving."

Rory let her mother lead her to the couch. Rory cried on her mother's shoulder for a few minutes remembering Jess' face when she told him that she and Dean had been together.

After several minutes of Rory sobbing and Lorelai trying to think of the best way to dispose of Jess' body Rory was finally able to form a coherent sentence. "Dean saw Jess and I kissing on the bridge."

Lorelai's vision of committing murder shifted slightly in that instant. Instead of Jess' body being buried in Jackson's vegetable garden, it was Dean's. "Oh God, What happened?"

Rory cried and told her mother all of the details. From the first day at the coffee cart to this moment on the couch and everything in between. It took quite a bit of time, coffee and snacks.

Once Rory had given up all the information, Lorelai felt like she could give a little advice. But just as she was about to start talking the front door flew open and Paris stormed in. "I can't stay at the dorm. I'm going crazy. Doyle still hasn't called and I remembered what you told me about not being pathetic and sitting around waiting for him to call. So here I am, deal with it."

Even on the worst night Paris could always make Rory laugh. Often when she didn't mean to. Paris may act tough and independent but she was truly loyal and always there when Rory needed a friend, a kick in the butt. Paris was there for Rory no matter what.

Rory patted the couch, indicating Paris should sit. Then they both turned to stare at Lorelai.

Lorelai looked at her daughter and her almost-daughter. She hated seeing the two in pain. She had to get their mind off of Twiddle Dee (Jess), Twiddle Dumb (Doyle) and Twiddle Douche Bag (Dean). "Ok. Girl power movie night!" I'm going for more supplies. You two hand over the phones. No unnecessary outside contact. Get in your pjs, order the pizzas and start setting up the living room. I'll be back in a flash!"

Rory looked at Paris; Paris looked between Lorelai and Rory, before hesitantly asking, "Movie Night?"

Rory smiled at her mom and they said in unison, "Movie Night!"

* * *

Jess unlocked the door to his still empty store. Even here he could sense Rory. He just couldn't seem to escape her.

_DEAN. TWO MONTHS. SLEPT TOGETHER. MISTAKE. _

The words were scrolling through his mind, like the bottom of ESPN, too fast to actually read, but enough to catch the gist of the meaning.

Jess couldn't handle this. He just couldn't. He called one of his business partners, Chris, to talk about switching stores. He just couldn't stay here. Not without losing his mind.

'_Hey man, you get those renovation quotes I sent you?' _Chris was and always had been the 'get down to business' the small talk guy. Its why he was the de facto leader.

"Yea, the work should get started on Monday." Jess was still unsure if he wanted to stay or go. Could he walk away from all this?

'_Ok. How's Stars Hollow girl?' _Chris was one of the very few people that knew about Rory, mostly due to a drunken bonding session.

"I can't stay here, man." Jess said quietly. Still feeling defeated. She has chosen Dean.

'_Why?'_

"She went back to apron boy, after the last time I was here." Jess couldn't close his eyes without the image of Dean touching Rory blazed through his mind. He was contemplating removing his own eye lids to keep it from happening every time he blinked. Other ideas involving the use of physical pain to clear the thoughts out of his head were interrupted by Chris asking, _"So, she's still with him?" _

Jess sighed, "No."

'_Then the problem is…'_ Chris just didn't understand what Jess was saying. If Rory wasn't with what's-his-name now, why was Jess flipping out?

"It's just… I can't…" Jess couldn't explain it. He couldn't explain it. He couldn't fully verbalize the feeling.

'_Ok. So, give up. Take the Cambridge store and I'll take over in New Haven.' _Chris thought Jess was being an idiot but months of working and living with him had taught Chris that Jess was a 'needs to figure things out on his own' guy.

Jess thought Chris would give him more trouble about the change. "Really?"

Chris was tired of Jess' back and forth on the subject of this girl. The dedication page of Jess' novel took for Jess longer to write than the whole process of editing the damn thing. Jess hadn't been satisfied with the dedication until about an hour before they started printing. '_Yea, really. You can't stand it down there, so you take Cambridge. Let the other guy have the small town princess. I mean, you don't want her, right?'_

The thought of Rory being with Dean again, maybe even married to him, brought murderous rage to Jess' heart. "What?" the question came out as more of a growl.

'_Well, you're right, you said she isn't with him anymore. So maybe she'll find some fancy guy at Yale or something.' _Chris knew this was the only way to make Jess think before running. Jess always had a tendency to only see how his actions effected him. He never quite grasp the concept that one choice always set off a chain reaction, in several areas, lives, other people's lives. Like the saying… ' The flapping of a butterfly's wings in Africa can cause a hurricane in the Carolinas. Jess only understood the flapping, not the hurricane that inevitably followed. Or its destruction.

When Chris mentioned fancy Yale guy, Jess' mind brought up the memory of 'casual Logan'. He and Rory could be casual now, but from what Jess saw Logan just might be starting to see the pit falls of being non-exclusive with a girl like Rory. Jess couldn't even form words at this point, his mind was racing so fast.

Chris knew he was having an impact on Jess' pig headed brain when no sarcastic comment was swiftly yelled in his ear. '_I mean, come on, Jess. Do you really expect her to pine after you forever? You aren't that special. I would know.' _

"No, you're right she'd find someone." Jess ground out feeling nauseous. Sure, Rory would move on. But the question was, could he? Could Jess actually forget about his feelings for Rory? Could he ever have close to this kind of connection with someone else?

Jess' heart screamed 'NO!' He wanted this conversation to end but Chris wasn't through with his emotional version of terrorism yet.

'_Hell, years from now, you could see her walking down the street and, Lord knows, you'll remember her but she'll just pass you without even a hint of recognition.' _

"What are you saying here, Chris? That I should leave? Stay? What the hell am I supposed to do?" Jess yelled to both himself and Chris.

Chris sighed. '_Do you really want my opinion or do you want me to just tell you what you want to hear?'_

"I want the truth, damn it!" Jess was reaching the end of his rope. He was about to put his fist through a wall just to give himself something to do.

'_Fine, The way I see it, you've got two options'_ Chris started.

"And they are?"

'_You suck it up. Let her past go. Pray she forgives your past mistakes too. And you two start over. Clean slate for both of you.'_

Jess shook his head even though Chris couldn't see it. "I can't just move past this. Every time I see her, see him, it will just remind me and I'll be pissed all over again." Simply moving past this was unfathomable to Jess.

'_Ok. Then, you walk away. Don't look back. Call it day. You move on, She moves on. Let her go. Let the possibility of her go.'_ To Chris it as simple. Either Jess manned up and dealt with the past and got the girl or Jess manned up and walked away for good this time. No matter what, Jess had to man up.

Jess chuckled darkly suddenly realizing, "If I walk away, what happens when my uncle gets the balls to marry her mom? I cut him out of my life too?"

Jess knew Luke would end up with Lorelai. He had called that one form the beginning. When, not if, Luke married Lorelai he would become more than just Rory's quasi- father figure. Luke would be her step-dad. Luke would always be involved in Rory's life.

'_No, that would be dumb and immature. Both of which you actually are, but we're working on fixing that. So, when you see her at family shit you treat her like a distant cousin. Civil, but not too friendly.' _

"Cousin?"

Chris laughed slightly, realizing Jess hadn't thought of this. '_Yep, that's what you guys will be, you perv. It'll probably get easier to handle once she gets married.' _

The image slammed into Jess' mind. Holidays spent with Rory but not _with_ Rory. Her holding hands with someone else under the table at Thanksgiving, her smiling at someone else's gift Christmas morning, some other guy kissing her at midnight on New Years Eve. The blurry pictures pushed Jess over the edge, so he put his fist through the nearest wall.

When Chris heard the loud crash, he knew he'd won. No was Jess would be able to handle seeing Rory in a forever type relationship with anyone else. Her dating was fine, that wasn't permanent. But marriage, marriage would really mean he lost her.

After several moments of intense silence Chris asked, '_So what's it going to be, man? Are you in or out?' _

Jess knew Chris was the only person who would put everything this bluntly. Hearing all of it nearly killed Jess, but it did put everything into perspective. "I'm staying."

Jess hung up and tried to think of how he was going to make Rory forgive him for the way he treated her tonight. He decided the sooner they talked the better, he pulled out his cell phone to call her.

* * *

Lorelai walked out of the market with three full bags of junk food, comfort food and coffee. The first step in curing boy troubles. Culture coma induced by movies and sugar.

She was trying to decide what movies to grab when she heard someone call out, "Lorelai!"

Dean was stumbling toward her, One look at him and you could see he was quite a few drinks past drunk. "What do you want, Dean?"

All Dean could think was that Lorelai would fix this. She'd make Rory see reason. "Rory was with Jess tonight." Dean slurred, thinking that with just that one sentence, Lorelai would understand and help.

"So?" Lorelai didn't want to have this conversation with Dean at all, let alone when he was so drunk she could get a contact buzz from his breath.

Deans mind froze on the question. Lorelai knew Jess was here, with Rory, and she didn't care. "Rory was kissing him." Dean told her, deciding Lorelai didn't know what he had meant.

"Again I ask, so?"

This was not going how Dean thought it would, at all. "She shouldn't have been."

"Why's that, Dean? Is she married? Is she with you? Tell me one good reason why she shouldn't kiss Jess. Or any one else that she wants to, for that matter?" Lorelai was over Dean's possessive feelings toward Rory.

"He's just going to leave her again!" Dean raised his voice a few notches. In his drunken, haze he thought being louder would get his point across.

"You made sure of that, didn't you? You aren't in Rory's life anymore, Dean. You don't get to just because you think you know what's best. Lorelai matched his volume and raised him a scathing tone.

"She deserves better than him! You know that, Lorelai!"

Lorelai dropped the bags she was carrying on to the side walk and took a step closer to Dean. She had to stand on her toes to meet his eyes, but she wanted to be clear with him. "Rory deserves to have her choices respected. She deserves to make her own decisions on who is in and not in her life. She doesn't deserve you ruining anything just because you're unhappy. You're the one who walked away from her, remember? You don't like who she's with, well, that's just too damn bad!"

Dean felt a wave of hate wash through his system. In that moment he hated everything. He hated Stars Hollow, Jess, Rory, Lindsey, Luke and Lorelai. All of this was their fault. "GO TO HELL!" He screamed in Lorelai's face.

"RIGHT BACK AT YOU!" Lorelai wanted to clobber Dean. He had been such a nice kid and now he was just a poor excuse for a man.

Dean was about to continue the fight when he and Lorelai both heard Luke's voice coming from the diner steps a few feet away, "Go home, Dean. Sleep it off. And stay the hell away from Rory."

Dean looked around and knew this argument was over. He could scream all he wanted but Luke was involved now so it would just be a waste of time.

Lorelai turned to Luke after Dean slumped away. "Thanks for the save, Lancelot."

"Anytime. Dean's really turning into a piece of work, huh?" Luke had heard the start of the fight from his open window. He'd intended to come down and give Dean a piece of his mind but by the time he made it downstairs Lorelai was handling it herself. But when Dean started yelling Luke felt like he had to step in. No one yelled at Lorelai in front of him.

"Who would have thought I'd be saying, I'm starting to prefer Jess to Boozy?" Lorelai shook her head, it was hard to believe but that statement was more than true.

"I know what you mean." Luke was upset with Jess at the moment but at least he hadn't drunkenly started yelling at Lorelai in the middle of the street.

"Speaking of Jess the new wonder kid, where is he?"

Luke shook his head. "I don't know."

Lorelai's heart sank, Jess left again. She knew it. "Is he coming back?"

"I don't know." Luke said, sadly.

* * *

Next one should be up in a few days. I've already started writing it. Rory, Lane and Paris still hit the Founders Day Punch, just with a different result.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Disclaimer: **Still don't own it.

* * *

When Lorelai came downstairs late the next morning, both Rory and Paris were already up and having a somewhat heated debate about some new political policy. It was just too early (from Lorelai's perspective) with no coffee, for Lorelai to actually comprehend what they were discussing. So she just grumbled, "Need coffee."

Rory looked at her mother sympathetically. Yale was not only educating her, it was also training her to function happily on very little sleep. It was like boot camp, with philosophy and economics, rather than push ups and guns. Rory handed her mom a massive cup of coffee them asked, "Didn't you say something about a Stars Hollow museum opening up today?"

Lorelai's brain was finally catching up, museum… opening… Saturday… Sookie, "Yea, at the 'old man formally known as Twickham's' place. I'm meeting Sookie there around noon, you girls interested?"

Paris shrugged, "It's always amusing when provincials grasp for legitimacy. I'm in."

Rory nodded, "I'll call Lane. Maybe she'll come too."

Lorelai took a long look at both girls, "How are you two holding up?"

At the same time both Rory and Paris' masks seemed to slip. Rory bit her lip and looked down towards her feet. Paris stared intently at an imaginary spot on the wall some where behind Lorelai's head. It only took a second for Lorelai to understand the name of the game was 'Pretend nothing's wrong or die trying.' "Ok never mind, moving on. If we hurry up and get dressed we can do breakfast Luke's, then head over to the opening."

Rory nodded, glad to change the subject. Thinking about Jess, the fight, anything having to do with the night before made Rory's heart twist. "Sounds good."

Lorelai watched the girls slip back into 'Fake it till you make it' mode with an internal sigh. She had a strange feeling today was going to be one for the books. Her mom-dar was pinging wildly.

* * *

An hour or so later, Jess ran into the diner looking for Rory. His disappointment was almost palpable when he realized she wasn't there. Still standing by the door Jess yelled, "Luke!"

After a horrible crash, the sound of several dishes breaking and a lot of cursing, Luke came out of the store room. Luke was in a horrible mood and not in the mood to deal with anyone. "WHA- Oh, Jess."

Luke was surprised to see Jess standing in the middle of the usual lunch crowd. He had honestly assumed that Jess would be halfway back to Philly by now.

Jess was running short on time. He'd been calling Rory all night and not once did he get through. Always voicemail. Jess' mood has swung between depressed, angry and worried through out the night. "Have you seen Rory?"

Luke hesitated, after talking to Lorelai last night he knew how upset Rory had been and he wasn't sure if now was a good time for Jess to decide he actually wanted to attempt to talk to her. If Luke knew how the Gilmore's were, which he did, Rory had passed sad and was now in the middle of righteous anger.

Jess tried not to feel hurt by Luke's wariness, after all, Jess hadn't given him any indication if was coming back. And his track record wasn't very favorable. "Look, I've been calling her all night. Please, just tell me where she is."

From the table in the corner, Babette watched Jess. She may be one of the town's biggest gossips but she got that title because she had a knack for seeing people as they truly were, not the front they showed the world.

Babette could see Jess was a man head over heels in love. A half blind idiot could see that if they cared to look. But it was the barest hint of desperation in Jess' voice that moved her the most. "Jess, I'll tell you what you need to know, if you promise me one thing."

Jess turned to look at Babette. At this point he would do just about anything thing to find Rory. He would even read bed time stories to the crazy lady's cats if that's what it took. "Name it."

Babette smiled. Jess really had grown into one hell of a man. Rough around the edges, to be sure. But he always had the best of intentions. "You treat our girl right this time."

"I'll do my best…. Ma'am." Jess had been expecting something slightly humiliating and crazy. Promising to treat Rory well was a no brainier to him. It was something he had every intention of doing before talking to Babette.

"Ok, sugar," Babette realized this was the first time she'd ever called Jess 'sugar'. "They went to opening."

Jess looked over at Luke to make sure that he wasn't being sent on a wild goose chase in revenge for stealing the stupid garden gnome. Luke nodded and said, "Old man Twickham's place."

Jess was already out the door when he decided to turn around and stick his head back in, "Hey, Babette?"

"Yea, sugar?"

"Tell Pierpont I said hello."

Babette laughed from the heart, Jess was okay in her book now. "Go get your girl, sweetie.!"

Luke watched Jess take off toward the other side of town, knowing that Jess was doing the right thing. He wasn't going to let Rory slip away this time.

* * *

Richard was in his study, attempting to read over a client's contract. As much as he loved working, insurance matters could be so very dry. Very difficult to spend hours pouting over. Richard welcomed the distraction when Emily walked in. "Emily, you are a sight for sore eyes. Please distract me."

Emily was pleased to find Richard in a good mood, it would make setting up this whole dinner gathering that much easier. "I need you to pick up your dark grey suit from the dry cleaners on your way home from the office before Friday night."

"Why would I need my good suit?" Richard, while always an impeccable dresser, saved a few of his suits for special occasions. And yes, he enjoyed diners with Rory but she wasn't as up tight as Emily's circle of friends.

"The Huntzburgers are joining us for dinner and I want you to look presentable." Emily was planning everything with the precision of a military general invading a hostile country.

Richard's eyes widened in surprise. He knew how much Emily disliked Shira Huntzburger. Though, they'd never really discussed Mitchum, Richard knew that the man certainly didn't meet Emily's high standards. "The Huntzburgers?"

"Yes, I set the whole thing up with Shira yesterday." Emily explained while straightening one of Richard's bookshelves, as if it was all perfectly natural.

Richard sensed one of Emily's mischievous plots, that she always thought were for the best. He wasn't sure if now was the for it though. With Lorelai and Rory still upset about the last time Emily had attempted to 'fix' everything. "Emily…"

Emily knew she needed to explain the logic in this dinner while ignoring all the obvious personal motives for it. "Mitchum owns several establish papers, Richard. And with Rory's dream of becoming a journalist, I thought meeting him would be a wise connection for Rory."

As true as that may be, Richard could see that there was an alterior motive behind this engagement. Part of him wanted to step in and stop it but he knew how stubborn Emily could be. "Fine, dark grey suit it is, my dear."

"Good. It will be Mitchum, Shira and Logan joining us, so I'll need to bring in an extra maid for the night to keep up." Everything needed to be elegant, perfect and prompt.

"Logan?" Though he knew Logan, Richard didn't see why the boy would need to attend a function like this one.

Emily sighed, at least she had already thought up a plausible reason for Logan's presence at the dinner. "We need a sixth person to round things out. Shira volunteered to bring Logan. After all, he and Rory know each other from the paper, so his being there might make the evening less uncomfortable for Rory."

Because Richard wanted to believe that was the only purpose in Logan's attendance he agreed. "That does sound reasonable."

"Perfectly reasonable." Emily was internally congratulating herself. Just because Lorelai could see that Emily knew what was best didn't mean that Rory would feel the same way.

Emily left Richard to his work before her face gave away her thoughts. Soon that delinquent malcontent nephew of a filthy diner owner would be out of the picture and things could progress like he had never come back at all.

* * *

After Lorelai left to join Sookie in the first tour group, Paris turned to Rory and broke their unspoken code of silence, "How are _you_ doing?"

Rory didn't want to talk about how she was actually feeling so she tried to put Paris off the subject with a short and too bright, "I'm fine."

Paris, of course, didn't notice this and steamrolled over Rory's misgivings. "Doyle's probably called me and me not calling him back mean he may never call me again. There you go, There, you have it."

Rory was mentally thanking her mom for not returning their cell phones. Not only would Paris be checking hers constantly, Rory would be fighting the urge to call Jess all day. "Paris, you've come this far, don't buckle."

Paris was glad she had Rory to support her, to talk her out of going insane by analyzing everything to death. "I don't want to buckle. I really don't want to buckle. Don't let me buckle, Gilmore."

Rory nodded and gave Paris a mock salute, before she saw Lane waling towards them. "Oh look, Here's Lane. Good distraction."

Lane wasn't in the mood for town festivities but she really didn't want to sit at home wondering where Zach was. "Hello."

Rory could tell just from that one word that Lane was in a mood that matched her and Paris' to a 't'. "What's wrong with you?"

"I don't want to talk about it." '_I don't even want to think about it.'_ she silently added.

Rory didn't want to pry, knowing Lane would talk when she was ready. "Well, we're a fun group."

Paris looked around trying to find something to take her mind off her own issues. Punch! She grabbed a couple glasses off the table.

"Paris?" Rory tried to stop her. Rory had seen the effects of Founder's Day Punch first hand.

"We paid out three dollars." Paris shrugged.

"Miss Patty's left over punch is used to remove tar from construction sites." Rory explained only exaggerating slightly for emphasis.

"Then let it remove the tar from our souls." Paris handed both Rory and Lane their own glasses. They all needed to do something a little wrong to get out of this funk. Drinking was the easiest option at hand.

Lane and Rory looked at each other having one of those silent conversations only best friends for years are able to have. Then they both took long drinks and felt the fire of alcohol reach their stomachs.

* * *

Jess walked up to the crowd around the town's attempt at making their own museum, looking for Rory. She had to be there. Rory never missed one of these things. Never. But he just couldn't find her.

Lorelai and Sookie piled out of the exit still giggling at the last show. Sookie looked up and saw Jess standing across the street scanning the crowd, clearly looking for something. More than likely Rory, Sookie guessed. Lorelai had hinted at a possible complication between the two. "Umm Lorelai?" Sookie pointed to the anxious looking Jess.

Lorelai saw and couldn't help but think of the worst possible scenario. Jess looking for a fight, finding Dean and pounding him. Lorelai had to do something to stop this. "Jess!"

Jess saw Lorelai jogging towards him and felt a wave of relief. Rory couldn't be far if Lorelai was here. "Where's Rory?"

Lorelai sincerely wanted to believe Jess was here to fix things but she couldn't risk him hurting Rory again. Not after what she saw last night. "Why?"

Jess thought Lorelai would be this way, he was positive Rory had told Lorelai everything. He knew he's have to face the angry mother eventually, may as well get it out of the way now. That way when he and Rory talked that wasn't looming over their heads. "Please, just tell me where she is."

Lorelai took a closer look at Jess. He looked terrible, like he hadn't slept and had been pulling at his hair all night. She felt a small pang of sympathy. "You could have called her, Jess"

"I did. I tried to call her all night." Jess knew Rory had assumed the worst, that must have been why she wasn't answering. Rory must have thought he was calling her to say he was leaving. He had called several times after her disappeared before her graduation. But Jess could never bring himself to say anything. Nothing he had panned to tell Rory seemed good enough when he heard her on the other end of the phone.

It struck Lorelai in that moment that she'd never given the cell phones back. After her public confrontation with Dean, they had completely slipped her mind. "Oh no," she breathed and began digging in her purse. When she found Rory's phone she saw the screen. 27 missed calls. "I'm so sorry, Jess. I took their phones last night."

Hearing that actually made Jess feel a little more relieved. Rory hadn't been ignoring him. They could still fix this. "Where is she?"

Lorelai glanced around. "She was waiting for Lane. They have to be around here some where."

Jess was just about to start walking away when Sookie came over. "Hey guy? You ok?"

Lorelai turned to Sookie "Have you seen the girls?"

Jess' eyes continued scanning the small crowd but he listened for Sookie's response in case she knew anything.

"No, but I'll you guys look." Sookie turned to Jess, thinking he probably needed someone on his side right about now. "I'm glad you're here, Jess." She said quietly.

Jess didn't know what to say so he remained silent. Sookie was doing her best to make him know that he wasn't hated. As much as that meant to Jess, he only cared that Rory didn't hate him. As long as he had her he was fine.

Lorelai took charge, divide and conquer style, or in this case, find. "Sook, you look over there, She pointed to one side of the square. "I'll look over there." She pointed to a different area. "And Jess…"

"I'll take everywhere else."

The three headed off in different directions. How much trouble could three girls find in Stars Hollow?

* * *

Logan was laying in bed, attempting to sleep off what had to be the worst hangover in the history of man. He, Colin and Finn had done a lengthy pub crawl the night before and Logan hadn't gotten home until the wee hours of the morning. Suddenly, his phone went started blaring, making Logan groan, "Too early!" Even though it was nearly three in the afternoon.

Looking at his phone to decide if he wanted to answer the call, he cursed. It was his mother and she would just keep calling until he answered. If she didn't do that, Logan would never answer her phone calls. "Yes, mom?"

'_Logan, dear, how are you?' _

"I'm fine. What do you need?" Logan knew his mother would never call him just to check on him. No one in his family actually cared, except his sister.

'_Emily Gilmore asked us to have dinner with her family Friday night. She said you may know her granddaughter, Lory, she goes to Yale with you.' _

Dinner? With Rory and her grandparents? He was confused. "Do you mean 'Rory', mom?"

'_Yes, that's it. Emily thought introducing Rory to your father would be good because Rory wants to be a journalist. And since you're on the paper with Rory, I told Emily you would be happy to join us.' _

Logan sat up in his bed. Dinner with Rory? Even if he had to deal with his parents, he knew seeing her would be worth it. "Give me the time and I'll be there."

"_6 o' clock Friday night.' _

"Sounds good."

'_See you then. Do not be late. Emily is a very punctual woman.' _

Logan's other hung up the phone, leave Logan with his own thoughts. Dinner with Rory. This was his chance to show you how well they actually fit. Hopefully, things would go back to normal. The way things were before this other guy showed up.

* * *

Rory, Lane and Paris were several cups of Founder's Day Punch passed tipsy. The three had reached the warm, painlessness of being truly drunk.

Lane was doing her own version of a stand up comedy routine describing the horrifying details of living with two boys, while Paris and Rory laughed. Rory was really starting to feel better, She had her friends. Even if Jess had left, Rory knew she would be ok. '_I don't need him!' _She thought. '_If he doesn't want me, fine.' _

The three girls had dissolved into a fit of giggles when Jess saw them from across the street. His momentary excitement at finding Rory was quickly replaced with bitter disappointment. Jess had driven himself nearly insane thinking about her all night. Yet she, it seemed, was perfect fine.

Jess thought about turning around and leaving right then. But he knew he needed to actually talk to Rory to see where things really stood between the two of them. "Rory!"

Rory glanced up at the sound of her name to see Jess bounding toward where they were sitting in the shade of a giant tree. Rory felt a rush of anger at the sight of him that she couldn't explain. When he got closer she asked, "What are you doing here?"

Just as Jess was going to start his lengthy explanation, Lane stumbled between he and Rory and yelled," You left!"

Jess caught the smell of alcohol on Lane's breath because of their close proximity. "Lane, Are you drunk?" Jess questing with disbelief lacing his tone.

"So what if I am?" What are you going to do about it? Run away? Imp mean you've got it down to an art, so why change form now?" Lane was tired of watching Jess hurt her friend, He deserved a talking to, if Lane could get it all out.

Jess didn't have the patience right then to deal with the drunken bulldog routine. No matter how much he deserved it. "Rory, please just let me talk to you."

It took Rory a few second to think it over, because he brain was working at a lower function than normal but she finally said, "Fine. I'll be back in a few minutes, Lane."

While they walked away from Lane and, a now puking, Paris, Jess caught a pattern. "Wait, are you drunk too?"

Rory started giggling at the thought of Jess being offended by her imbibing. "I am NOT drunk!"

She immediately proved that statement false by tripping and falling on the ground in a very ungraceful manner. Which then started another round of giggles. Jess tried his best not to laugh at Rory on the ground at his feet. "How much have you had to drink?"

Something snapped inside Rory. Who was he to question her? "What do you care? You walked away! You got mad about the Dean thing, when you and I weren't even together when it happened, and then you bailed!" Rory yelled up at him from the ground.

Jess didn't want to do this in the middle of town with everyone watching but it looked like that was going to have to be. "Rory, let me talk"

Rory clumsily got to her feet. "No! Why should you suddenly get to talk? You left! You decided you didn't want me! Then you beg me to run away with you! You don't get to be mad about anything that happened! I do!"

Jess couldn't say he blamed her for being angry with him. But for her to think that he had ever stopped wanting her, loving her was something that cut him to the core.

Jess took a small step forward just to be closer when he told her this. "Rory, I never stopped wanting you. Not once. You were constantly on my mind." It came out as a yell. Jess didn't care who heard.

"But you left. Over and over again!" Rory's voice was still raised. She was tired of brushing everything away, pretending nothing had happened.

"I know that." Jess said quietly. Thinking of the time he called her while he was in California and she had said '_I think I may have loved you…. But I'm moving on with my life.' _Hearing her say that broke him.

Jess gently took Rory's face into his hands and forced her to look at him. "I'm not leaving again." The way he said it was so firm it was almost a vow.

"I want to believe you." Rory said sadly doubting Jess. This would be a textbook definition of perfection except for the nagging worry that Jess was lying.

Jess knew it would take time for her to trust him again. She could have all the time she needed. All of Rory's doubts were his own fault. "You will believe me. Just give it some time, ok? Give me a chance to prove that you can trust me this time."

Even in the fog of drunkenness Rory could see how honest Jess was being. So she nodded. She could give him that. Rory would give him another chance. Maybe because he had changed but mostly because after all the distance, time and hurt. But more for the fact that Rory would rather be fighting with Jess, than happy with anyone else.

Jess very gently pressed his lips to Rory's in a way of sealing his promise.

"Hey, Jess?"

"Yea."

"I'm not feeling so good." Rory said sheepishly. Rory's stomach was churning and the world was spinning at an alarming rate.

"Rum will do that to you." Let's get you home so you can sleep it off."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Reviews please. Friday night dinner up next.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**Author's Note:** Sorry guys, but the dinner will actually be next chapter… This one turned out a little different than I expected.

* * *

While Emily was busy planning things for Friday night, Richard sat amongst the chaos of various maids, special cleaning services and florists, attempting to read. Though he was failing, it wasn't the fault of the army of people rushing about. Richard's thoughts were on the dinner party ambush. He was beginning to think that giving Rory some type of warning would be for the best. She did deserve that much courtesy at least. "Emily, I will be in my study, if you find you should need me."

Richard didn't need to hear Emily's reply. She thought of him as useless in the planning stages in most events. Once he was behind his great desk, Richard began to think of the best way to go about this warning. He sighed heavily, thinking that informing Lorelai would be the most prudent option. She would know how to prepare Rory for this. After all, she had been at the brunt of most of Emily's mischievous, well- intentioned, plans.

"Hello?" Lorelai answered her phone, still slightly out of breath. She still hadn't found the girls and was beginning to feel slightly nervous about their disappearing act.

Richard wanted to keep this call as positive as possible. He was enjoying a new found relationship with his daughter that had be come much more pleasant than the hostility surrounding their past. "Hello, Lorelai. How are you?"

Ever since the fight with her mother, Lorelai had begun to make an honest effort to talk to her father more. But today was already stressful enough, without having to listen to a lecture about her treatment of Emily last night. "Hey, Dad, now isn't really a good time. Can I call you back?"

Richard knew if he didn't have this conversation now, he would talk himself out of having it at all. "I promise this will only take a minute and it is some what important."

"Ok then, shoot." Lorelai told him only half listening. Her mind was still wondering where the girls had gotten off too. She'd searched every where she could think of and still no sign of them.

"Emily has decided to invite the Huntzburgers to dinner Friday night. And I'm not sure that she has told Rory. Or if she is planning on telling Rory, to be honest."

Lorelai stopped and stood right where she was. Which was the middle of the street. "She, what?"

Richard could already hear the storm brewing from Lorelai's tone. He had to quickly remind himself if this dinner happened with no warning Lorelai's wrath would be at least twice what he was facing now.

Richard wanted Lorelai to be reasonable so he tried to explain the practical merits of introducing Rory to the Huntzburgers. "Mitchum owns several very well known papers, he will be an excellent contact for Rory, Lorelai."

That sounded too easy, too logical. "Dad, as true as that may be, this dinner has 'Emily Gilmore Meddling' written all over it. What's the catch?" Lorelai was trying to calm herself down. Blowing up at her father would serve no purpose in the end. Especially since he was doing the right thing by warning Rory, in a round about way, but warning none the less.

"I believe Logan will be in attendance, as well as his parents. After Rory mentioned that Luke's nephew is back I noticed Emily did not seem as pleased as Rory was." Yes, Richard had noticed. Being married to Emily for forty years had taught how to tell when there was trouble in the mist.

"So, let me guess, Mom decided to invite the Huntzbutts so she could wave golden boy, Logan, under Rory's nose in a pathetic attempt to manipulate Rory into becoming the paragon of Gilmore socialites?" That would be so like something her mother would dream up. Hell, Lorelai would take a bet that Emily was already picking out the wedding announcement and the venue for the ceremony. Emily must be in control of everything. If her control was lost for a single moment everyone would pay, dearly.

"She's not trying to manipulate Rory, Lorelai. Emily just… well… You of all people know how your mother can sometimes be. She truly believes that she is doing what is best for everyone." Richard had always tried to find peaceful resolutions like this between his daughter and wife. The problem with the two women was, in many ways, they quite similar. Both women were stubborn, bold, ferocious and independent. Living with the two, while Lorelai was growing up had been filled with drama and at times insanely comical. Richard was sure that the reason his hair had turned grey was because e was almost constantly mediating their many quarrels.

"I know what she thinks, Dad. I'll tell Rory and we will figure something out. Fair warning though, I don't see this going well. No matter how positively I try and spin it, for your benefit not Mom's." Lorelai sighed. Her mother would never change, but sometimes she thanked the heavens above that the father tried to be sympathetic.

Richard chuckled, remembering how much Rory was like her own mother. "I shall brace myself accordingly."

With a small chuckle Richard put the phone down. He knew he had done the right thing.

* * *

Lorelai rushed inside her house wondering if the girls had decided to continue the movie marathon without her. "Rory?!"

Jess ran out of Rory's room nearly tripping over his own feet and put his fingers to his lips, "SHH! I just got all of them to sleep and I swear to God, if you wake them up, you're the one dealing with them!"

Lorelai was slightly concerned that Jess was talking about the girls like they were triplets and was their sleep deprived mother. "What are you talking about?"

"SHH! Jess said again more forcefully while motioning for Lorelai to go back to the porch He could deal with three drunk girls, easy. But three upset drunk girls, that was a whole different ball game. Who knew they had so many disparaging names to call men? And being the only man present, they had hurled every insult they could think of at him. There were some that even he hadn't heard of and some that even made him blush.

Once outside, Jess turned and looked at Lorelai. This was going to be difficult, telling Lorelai that her perfect angel daughter was drunk. "Now we can talk."

Lorelai couldn't take it anymore. "What the hell is going on? Why did you tell me to 'shh' in my own house?"

Jess decided that if he had to deal with the three female stooges, he should at least get a little fun out of it too. "I found the girls. Hopefully, before they did too much damage."

"Damage?"

"Well, they were all upset, so I am assuming that they took their anger out on something or possibly even someone."

The way this conversation was going was making Lorelai incredibly nervous. "What happened? Where were they?"

"Rory and Friends decided to take their chances with Ms. Patty's punch. Let me tell you, they lost." Jess was starting to see the amusing side of it all now. Before, all he saw was the crying, screaming and vomiting.

"Oh no!" Lorelai finally understood. The girls were drunk. Poor Jess had been trying to take care of all of them. And if she had to guess, Lorelai would say they hadn't taken it easy on him, either. "Why didn't you call me?"

Jess laughed like the question was the funniest thing he had heard in years. "You think they left me alone long enough to even get near the phone?"

Lorelai slowly caught up. The three hadn't been in the best of moods. She was sure the punch only compounded everything. "Yikes! Bad?"

"Oh yea." Jess really didn't feel like relieve the details any time soon.

"They are going to need hang over supplies in the morning." Lorelai thought out loud. Already starting a list in her head. Strong coffee, eggs, tacos, water, aspirin, mouthwash….

"Oh yea." Jess agree. The headaches had started just before the vomiting.

"Rory's is not going to like the news I have to give her on top of this hangover." Lorelai muttered.

"What news is that?" Jess was enjoying the banter-sharing thing he and Lorelai had going and he wanted to continue it.

"The glorious Emily has decided to have a 'suitable' male at next Friday's dinner. She doesn't think Rory is with acceptable company at the moment. Gee, I cont imagine why…"Lorelai was smirking.

"Ah geez, She remembers me?" Jess had hoped that time had faded the first impression he had left with Emily. Evidently not.

"Of course she remembers you. Yu did leave quite an impression. Stand proud, my friend." Lorelai patted his shoulder,

Jess wanting out of this particular art of the conversation, so he tried to redirect Lorelai's focus. "Who is Emily forcing on Rory? Poor buy probably doesn't know what he's in for. I should send him my condolences."

Lorelai hadn't expected Jess to take the idea of Rory being set up with someone else very well. Yet, here Jess stood cracking jokes about the whole thing. "Logan Huntzburger."

When Jess heard that name he couldn't stop the laughing fit. 'Casual Logan' at diner with the Gilmore's. The imaginary picture itself was priceless.

"Why is that funny?" Lorelai was yet again lost. Jess was always defying her preconceived expectations. Last time he did so in the worst possible way. Now, he was blowing Lorelai away in the best way possible.

"Just picturing casual Yale boy at the table trying to carry on a conversation with Emily. He will be so uncomfortable, Maybe Emily will have china patterns for him to discuss so she know what wedding gift to register them for." Jess was still doubled over with laughter.

Seeing the picture in Lorelai's mind caused her to join in the gaiety. "Poor kid, he's going to be a deer trapped between headlights and hunters."

A wicked idea came to Jess. After all Emily had put Lorelai, Luke and Rory through, Jess was beginning to think a little pay back was in order. And he knew the perfect way to rattle Emily's guilded cage. He would need Lorelai's help to pull this one off though. "I've got an idea, if you're up for it."

Lorelai looked at Jess trying to decipher what his fast paced brain had come up with. But it was no use, "Fill me in."

* * *

Lane came back to reality on the bathroom floor. Her head was still spinning and she still could quite form a coherent thought. All she could think was 'I want my mom'. She had to still be drunk.

"Kim's Antiques. We are closed. Call again tomorrow." Mrs. Kim's voice filled the phone that somehow magically appeared in Lane's hand. It was too late to just hang up "Mama?"

Mrs. Kim heard the sadness and distress in her daughter's voice and was immediately ready for anything. "Lane, what's wrong?"

Lane started to cry and she completely unloaded her problems on her mom. Everything about Zach lying and then seeing him with Sophie. Even if Lane's mother wasn't as warmly loving like Lorelai, she still loved her daughter just as dearly as Lorelai did Rory. Just in a Mrs. Kim way.

"This boy, Zach, he lied to you?" Mrs. Kim growled. She detested lies. Especially ones that hurt her daughter.

"Yes, Mama." Lane told her still crying.

"He hurt you?" Mrs. Kim wasn't interested in the details. All that mattered to her was her Lane was hurting.

"Yes."

"Where are you?" Before Mrs. Kim did anything about this boy, she had to make sure that her daughter would be taken care of.

"I'm at Rory's." Lane answered, thinking that any moment her mother would burst in the door.

"Good. Give the phone to Lorelai."

Lane had sinking feeling, maybe telling her mother hadn't been the best idea in the world. "Why?"

"Lane Kim, you give the phone to Lorelai, right now." Mrs. Kim ordered in the tone that allowed no room for argument.

Lane got up to find Lorelai, panicking slightly at what her mother was going to say. Lane was still loopy from the punch so she didn't think anything of finding Lorelai and Jess talking excitedly on the couch. Well, Lorelai was excited. And Jess was being more involved in the actual conversation. "Lorelai, my mom wants to talk to you."

Loroelai took the phone with great trepidation. Mrs. Kim had always and would always make Lorelai nervous. And the only reason Mrs. Kim would be calling at this hour was because of the punch drunk debacle. "Hello, Mrs. Kim."

"Lorelai, I need you to take care of Lane." Mrs. Kim and Lorelai may be almost exact opposites, but there was no one else on the face of the planet that Mrs. Kim would trust to care for Lane. Mrs. Kim knew that Lorelai thought of Lane as a daughter, and loved her dearly.

Lorelai thought Mrs. Kim was talking about the hangover that was sure to be headed Lane's direction. "So you heard about the dr-"

Mrs. Kim cut Lorelai's question off. "Of course. I hear everything. But I am not talking about that." Lane's drinking was actually not a big deal to Mrs. Kim. She knew that girls at Lane's age rebelled and experimented. Lane was living on her own. And Mrs. Kim was more proud of her daughter than words could say.

The theme of Lorelai's night was back. She couldn't understand what was going on at all. "Ok, Take care of her how?"

"She is hurting right now and she needs you and Rory to take her mind off of everything. Like you used to do when they were growing up." Mrs. Kim explained like this should be obvious.

"Ok, now that I can do. I promise." Lorelai would always take care of Lane. Even when Lane thought she didn't need the help, Lorelai would be there.

"I will handle the rest." Mrs. Kim hung up the phone and marched out of her house.

* * *

When Lane had interrupted Jess and Lorelai's plotting, he's decided to make himself useful and get the thing on Lorelai's long list of insane hangover remedies. He read the paper and shook his head in amazement. Taco? Why, tacos? Who eats tacos with a hangover?

Jess hit the market first for the things like aspirin, toothbrushes, mouthwash, pop tarts and coffee. He was hoping he would run into Taylor. Maybe give him a few things to scream about. Jess could use the laugh. But instead he found Dean in on of the isles stocking the shelves. Jess just couldn't resist, "Wow, moving up in the world. Taylor's actually letting you touch the breakables, now. I'm sure your parents are so proud of you."

When Dean heard Jess' voice behind him the jar of spaghetti sauce he'd been holding crashed to the floor and began spewing its contents all over the floor, him and everything within four feet. Dean felt like he was in a never ending nightmare.

Jess hid the laughter at the perfect timing under a façade of disinterest. But he looked at the clearly angry Dean covered in Ragu. "Oops, guess I spoke to soon, huh?"

"Shut up." Dean growled, while trying to wipe some of the mess off his apron. This had to be one of the most upsetting and embarrassing moments in Dean's life. Many of the worst moments Dean had involved Jess in some way.

Jess tried to walk around Dean and the mess on the floor. He had more important things to do than waste too much time harassing Dean when Jess heard Dean mutter, "What have you done that's so special?"

The question may have really bothered Jess in the past, sometimes it still plagued him. But Jess knew in his heart and soul that he was actually accomplishing something. He had worked hard and gotten farther in life than many thought was possible for him. This was an attack he couldn't just shrug off, "Well, I haven't done my part to feed the masses, but then again, that's your thing right apron boy?"

Dean starred at Jess with loathing. Thinking that there was no way this loser had done anything with his life. Why else would he be back in Stars Hollow? "At least I have a job."

"I'm wounded, market boy has cut me to the core. How shall I ever recover?" Jess mocked.

"You're such a jackass." Dean never could quite match up to Jess' wit. He knew this and still always tried to do so.

"So I've been told. I'd rather be a jackass than a philandering imbecile. But that's just me."

"You have no idea what you're talking about!" Dean's voice started to rise. He'd been so sure Jess would disappear after what happened on the bridge. He was supposed to leave Rory. Nothing was going right at all.

"I have a fair idea. Rory filled a few blanks in for me." Jess realized that Dean was getting more and more upset, Dean was also expecting Jess' level of anger to match. And was thrown off by the calm Jess' was projecting. So the best way to handle this situation was to just stay cool. 'Frank at the Sands' cool.

Dean couldn't understand how Jess was being so calm, almost disinterested. Jess was supposed to be the one to be upset and yelling. "Then you know she is just as bad as I am."

Jess shook his head. Rory may have made a mistake by being with Dean but she owned up to it. Dean however was trying to push the blame on everyone else, while playing the victim. "You really don't get it, do you, Dean?"

"Don't get what?!" Dean was at the end of his rope. Jess was talking in circles and Dean just couldn't keep up.

"If I explain it all to you, then you wont have the experience of learning on your own. Everyone knows how I value education, so you're just going to have to figure it out all on you own." Jess said holding his hands up.

Jess turned to leave again, as much as he enjoyed needling Dean he had supplies to get or be brought up on war crimes at the Gilmore house. But Dean once again stopped him from carrying on by taking a menacing step forward and glared down at Jess.

Dean still like to imitate Frankenstein, Jess smirked up at him, "What?"

"You know you wont get to keep her, either. You don't deserve her."

Dean may be right thinking that Rory deserved better. Jess could easily agree with that fact. No one was good enough for Rory. No one would ever be good enough for Rory. But Jess would try his hardest to be someone that Rory was proud of. "Do you, honestly, think that you're good enough for her? Divorced, cheating, stock boy, who doesn't have a goal and lives with mommy and daddy is the right guy for the beautiful, smart and ambitious town princess? Yea, I don't see it. But I'll let you dream."

"Shut up!" Dean yelled with his fists balled at his sides.

"Oh, snappy come back, did you think of it all on your own?" Jess waited a beat to try and give Dean a fair chance at walking away with some semblance of dignity. When all Dean could do was continue to glare, Jess sighed, "Look as much fun as this whole 'catching up' thing we're doing is, Lorelai needs me to pick a few things up for the girls. Because in a bizarre twist of fate, I'm the good guy and the drunken loser who yells at people in the street."

Dean stood there covered in marina sauce, watching Jess fill a basket with things clearly intended for Rory, simmering with rage. His entire world was crashing around him. Lorelai was suddenly ok with Jess? Jess wasn't running away? Rory wanted Jess?

Dean felt the burn of embarrassment when he noticed that everyone in the market had their eyes glued to him. They were watching him, just like they used to watch Jess. Dean decided that he was the only one who actually cared about Rory. He would convince her that Jess didn't deserve to be in her life. Maybe, he could convince her to come back to him.

* * *

After Jess got everything on Lorelai's crazy scribbled list he headed back to the house. Even after his mini-confrontation with Dean, Jess' spirits were high. He and Lorelai had reached a playful truce, Rory had decided to give him a chance, and they were starting work on his store tomorrow. Things had definitely taken a turn.

Jess quietly dropped the bags in the kitchen, not wanting to wake the house. Lorelai had fallen asleep on the couch with Lane. Paris had taken over the floor in the bathroom and Rory was passed out on her bed.

Jess looked in on Rory and smiled. Even in sleep she was the most beautiful sight he had ever beheld. He would do everything he could to become a kind of man she deserved. Or at least close to it.

"Jess?" Rory had half opened her eyes and saw a blurry figure standing in her doorway.

"Hey." Jess walked over to sit on Rory's bed, just to be closer to her.

"You stayed." Rory smiled. Having Jess here made her feel like she was waking up in a dream.

"Of course, I stayed. You think I would miss Act II of Founder's Day Punch and Friends, It should be the best part."

"Yea, I'm starting to feel the headache already." Rory pouted, putting a hand to her on her forehead. How could people handle doing this to their bodies every weekend? Or, in Logan's case, every day?

"That I can help." Jess went back to the kitchen and grabbed a few aspirin and a glass of water.

"Oh bless you!" Rory gushed when he her handed the first step in dealing with a massive hangover. She swallowed the pills and gulped the rest of the water down.

"Well, while I'm on your good side, it's been delegated to me to warn you about something."

Rory suddenly got a very bad feeling. And lost what little color she had. "Warn me about what?"

Jess smiled at her panicked look and gently tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "Logan will be making an appearance at your nest Friday night dinner. His parents too." The idea still made Jess chuckle slightly.

"What?! How did you find that out?" Rory's panic quickly become anger. Not a huge help to the brewing migraine.

"Calm down, your grandpa told Lorelai. And while you were doing a great impersonation of Sleeping Beauty We came up with a plan." Once Jess had explained the idea to Lorelai it had really taken off. It was now a full scale battle plan.

"Plan? To get me out of it?" Rory was still so upset with her grandmother, knowing immediately that she was the one who was doing this, that she couldn't see the humor in Jess' eyes. In the back of Rory's mind she was wondering if she would actually have to break a bone or just say she did to escape this barely veiled set up.

"Nope, you're going. But Lorelai and I will also be at this little shin dig." Lorelai had agreed it was about time for Emily to get a taste of her own medicine and since she despised Jess, it all worked out perfectly.

"What? How?" Rory knew her grandmother would rather eat at a soup kitchen for a month then deign to invite Jess into her house. And Lorelai would rather volunteer to do a season of Survivor than ever step foot in that house again.

Jess smiled and spoke in a very innocent tone. "Well, you know ho your mom and Luke have been dying to make amends with Emily. And of course, what better place to do that is there, than Friday night dinner? But Luke will, sadly, come down with a nasty case of the flu and be unable to go at the last minute. So, I will have to take his place. We cant let the extra place setting go to waste, now can we?"

Rory digested this. She could see how this would pan out. "Does my mom know about your diabolical plan?"

"Oh, she helped plan it." Lorelai and Jess had discovered they could easily get along when they were using their brains to put together a way to irritate certain people. Jess considered this a step in the right direction.

"So let me get this straight…You are my mom will be at Friday night dinner?"

Jess answered slowly, drawing out the word like you would do with a small child. "Yes."

"With Logan."

"And his parents."

"But my grandma know that it's you coming?"

"Good to hear you catching up, Gilmore. I always knew you were sharp." Jess kissed her forehead, showing her he was affectionately teasing her.

"This is going to be an interesting dinner." Rory began imagining the different ways her grandmother would react to Jess' presence.

"Very interesting." Jess agreed, looking forward to it.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Sorry I couldn't get to the dinner to this chapter. There as just a lot of other stuff that needed to happen to lead up to it.

**Random Question:** Where is Lane's dad? They talk about him in the first episode of the second season, but you never once see him? Does he just hide in his room?


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

**Author's Note: **So sorry for the long wait. A round of bronchitis struck my house and I have been curled up on the couch coughing up my left lung.

* * *

Mrs. Kim began pounding on her daughter's apartment door, knowing that boy was in there. The slightly off key guitar gave that much away. She was not going to let him hurt her daughter and then happily play guitar all night. She would break his fingers first.

Bryan was either the first one to hear the banging or he wasn't as lazy as Zach tended to be. So, Bryan was the one to open the door and be the first to face Mrs. Kim's rage.

"Hello Mrs. Kim-"

Though Mrs. Kim wasn't unhappy with Bryan he was just in her way, she as polite to him as she usually was. Zach was the one she was looking to eviscerate. "Where is he?"

Bryan had a fair idea who Mrs. Kim was looking for but he had to ask to make sure. He wasn't going to be the person who lead Mrs. Kim in the wrong direction, the woman gave him nightmares. "You mean Zack?"

"Yes, I mean the tall, slightly stupid one."

Bryan stepped out of the door and pointed toward the band's rehearsal area, where Zach was still playing his guitar, completely clueless to what was going on. Bryan was not about to get in Mrs. Kim's way. He greatly enjoyed having all of his limbs attached to his body unharmed.

Mrs. Kim marched over to stand in front of Zach, point her finger in his face and bellow, "You!"

Having someone scream in his face broke Zach from his semi-Zen musical trance with a jump. "Oh, um, Hi, Mrs. Kim."

Mrs. Kim just glared at him thinking that there was no way this boy could be smart enough to deserve her daughter. "What are you doing to my Lane?"

Zach's mind, while never quite able to move at the speed of light, froze completely when faced with Lane's very angry, very scary mother. "I haven't anything with Lane, honest, Mrs. Kim."

Mrs., Kim narrowed her eyes, enjoying Zach's obvious discomfort, "Then why did she call me crying?"

Lane was crying? Zach racked his brain trying to figure out what he could have done to make Lane cry. "When?"

Mrs., Kim didn't want to just tell this walking monkey what he'd done. "You lie to her! You see other women! Then you want me tell you why she is crying?! You shape up and explain yourself to Lane or I will be here personally everyday to attempt to beat some sense into you. My Lane deserves better!"

After saying that Mrs. Kim slammed out of the apartment. She had nothing to say beyond that to Zach.

Bryan gave Zach a few minutes to digest what just happened. He totally agreed with Mrs. Kim. Lane could do so much better than Zach. He and Bryan got along just fine but Bryan couldn't see Lane with Zach in a forever type of way.

Zach finally unfroze, "Did that seriously just happen?"

Bryan nodded sympathetically, "Yep."

Zach's brain was finally rebooting and adapting to the new information, "I should go find Lane."

Bryan just nodded again. "Yea, before Mrs. Kim comes back for round two."

* * *

When Richard returned to his office, after finishing a lunch meeting Monday afternoon, he began looking around Karen's desk for the mail. Richard had been waiting for a certain package, quite impatiently, since he ordered it Saturday morning.

Richard's secretary, Karen, came in from the hall as saw her boss snooping around her desk. She couldn't help but think that she had done something wrong. "Can I help you, Mr. Gilmore?"

Richard jumped at the sound at the sound of Karen's voice. He knew he wasn't doing anything wrong, per say, but he also knew that Emily would not approve of his latest purchase. It was causing a small feeling of guilt about the whole situation. Hence, the package being delivered to his office rather than the house. "Ah, yes Karen. I've been waiting for a package and I was just checking to see if it came with the mail I was out."

After taking a closer look at her boss Karen could see a hint of excitement about him. Like he was a young boy waiting to open a large gift Christmas morning. "I put all the mail on your desk, Mr. Gilmore."

"Was there a small package?"

"Yes, there was, The papers from Aero International and one from some place called Truncheon Books." Karen had almost refused that one but since it was addressed to Mr. Gilmore personally, she decided against it.

Richard's face lit up with a smile, before he almost he almost ran to his office while calling back, "Thank you, Karen."

Richard pushed all his business mail to the side of his desk, before he tore into the small nondescript package.

'_The Subsect'_ by Jess Mariano. Ever since Rory had mentioned Truncheon Books, he had done some research on the small company. Richard has stumbled across this book, and could only assume this particular author and Luke's vagabond nephew were one in the same.

Richard flipped to the first page and his granddaughter's name caught his attention, making him look more closely.

'_To Rory Gilmore, Ernest and I will always only have lovely things to say about you.'_

Richard was immediately hooked. He swiftly punched the intercom to Karen and said, "Hold all my calls, please."

If this Jess cared about Rory this much than he certainly deserved Richard's full attention.

* * *

Lorelai had procrastinated all morning. Dreading making this phone call. The only reasons she could bring herself to do it now was the massive cup of coffee she had in hand and the promise that it would all be worth it in the end.

"_Hello_." Emily's aggravated voice answered.

"Hi Mom." It was the best greeting Lorelai had come up with that didn't involve calling Emily Satan, or one of his many followers.

'_Lorelai?'_ Emily questioned. The last time they had spoken Emily got the impression that Lorelai was still angry with her and wouldn't be speaking to her in the near future.

Lorelai had to bite back a sarcastic comment about being the only person to call Emily 'Mom" to her knowledge and just sais. "Yes, Mom. It's Lorelai."

'_Is everything ok? Is Rory hurt?' _That would be the only reason Lorelai would be calling her.

Lorelai knew this wasn't going to be easy. "Yes, Mom. Everything is fine. I was just…."

'_You were just, what?'_

Lorelai decided to treat this whole thing like she was taking off a band-aid, you just had to rip it off. "I don't want to fight anymore."

Emily was stunned. Lorelai was actually trying to end this disagreement. Maybe, everything Emily had been saying was finally sinking into he daughter's think skull. "Really?"

Lorelai had to just grin and bear it. "Yes, Mom, really. Luke and I were thinking about joining Rory for Friday night dinner to officially smooth things over."

Emily didn't know what to say. Lorelai, the most stubborn person she knew, wanted to come to dinner uncoerced and willingly to 'smooth things over'. '_Really?'_

Lorelai sighed and mentally reminded herself that seeing her mother's face when Jess walked in would be the perfect revenge for everything,. "Yes, Mom. Really. Can we please add another word?"

Emily quickly decided this could be even better than she had hoped. Perhaps Lorelai would see her past mistakes and finally wake up. Or even if that failed to happen, Rory would be able to see how she clearly was better than the path her mother had chosen to take. '_Fine. We'll see you and Luke at 6:30.' _

Lorelai could hear the triumph in her mother's voice. It reminded her why this was a necessary action. "We will be there."

* * *

Jess knocked on Rory's door Friday night to pick her up for dinner. They hadn't seen each other since they left Stars Hollow Sunday afternoon. Jess had been busy supervising the remodel of his store. Rory had been swamped with studying, school work and articles for the Daily news. But the two had talked every chance they could. Rory had even emailed him several papers for her classes to edit and critique. That had given Jess a moment of shock. He, the high school drop out, was be being trusted to edit Yale level papers.

Paris opened the door and looked Jess over. She was still trying to decided where she stood with Jess moving back. He had taken care of her after the drunken screaming binge. But that still didn't make her fully trust him again. "You clean up nicely, slacker."

Jess had actually put a little effort into getting ready for this evening. Just his presence was needed to set Emily off, and he wanted to show Rory and Lorelai that he had done some growing up. His clothing choice were simple black slacks and a button sown shirt that he'd found in Philly. He bought it simply because it was the closest match to the color of Rory's eyes that he'd seen. "Aw shucks, I thought I was ready for my photo shoot with GQ, too."

Paris almost had to give it to him. Jess did look damn good, but she would never tell him that. "Don't push your luck. Rory's in her room getting ready. And I'm going out with Doyle."

Jess wasn't overly interested in but after being berated simply for having the same sexual organs as Doyle he figured 'what the hell', "So he called, huh?"

Paris smiled at the memory of coming home to find a sick Doyle in her bed. It had given them a chance to talk and settle things. "He was here when I got back from Rory's."

"Brave man." Jess joked. Anyone willing to ambush a hung-over Paris and live to tell about it had to be brave.

"He decided to commit." Paris told Jess, trying to replace some of the horrible thing she vaguely remembered saying about Doyle to Jess.

"Brave man." Jess felt the comment worked well for that information, too.

Paris realized to ensure Jess never telling Doyle about her comments she would have to be more direct. "Could we keep what I said when I was drunk to ourselves?"

Jess pretended to consider it, just to watch Paris squirm. Bugging her was always fun. "On one condition."

"What's that?"

"I want a written apology for all the things you said to me while you were punch drunk." Jess was mostly joking. He had no plan to ever bring up that evening in front of anyone, let alone another guy.

"No way!" Paris scoffed

"Well then, don't blame me if my tongue just happens to slip in front of the oompaloompa sized trogl-"

"Fine! I'll do it. Deal?" Paris stuck her hand out. Somehow she knew that she could trust Jess in this instance at least.

"Deal." Jess shook Paris' hand jovially. They really were making some progress toward a friendship.

Rory came out just as the deal was struck. And instantly glad Paris and Jess seemed to be making friends again. They always had the best debates about literature, listening to both sides was always fascinating. "Finally playing nice, you two?"

Jess looked up at Rory and felt his heart lurch. She was utterly enthralling wearing a deep blue knee length dress. It was modestly cut but hugged her small frame in an elegant way. He found himself speechless, unable to form any thoughts. The only thing he could manage to get out was, "Wow."

Rory blushed and smoothed an invisible wrinkle from the fabric of her dress. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should." Jess said quietly.

Standing between the couple was becoming very uncomfortable for Paris Even though she knew she was there, Rory and Jess seemed to have forgotten. "You two take the love fest some where else. It's truly sickening."

Paris' voice snapped them out of their almost trance. Rory decided they needed to leave now if she was going to stop herself from jumping Jess on the spot. "She's right. We should go if we're going to be on time."

Jess nodded, still finding words difficult. Lorelai wouldn't be happy if they left her to deal with all this alone. "Yea, we wouldn't want to be late."

When they closed the door behind them as they left, Jess turned Rory to him and hissed her with all the passion he felt. He may not be good at verbalizing he effect on him but he was going to do his best to show it.

Rory reluctantly pulled away after a few minutes of deep kissing. "We should…."

"Go." Jess finished for her.

He took her hand and began walking towards the parking lot.

* * *

Lorelai was waiting for this generation's 'Helen and Paris' I the driveway of her parents house. She wasn't about to start the war of a thousand ships without them. Just as she was beginning to think they decided to turn tail and run Jess' car pulled up behind hers.

"Finally! I thought you two has run off to join the circus instead of going through with this."

Rory hugged her mom with a laugh. She always did have a flare for the dramatic.

"I would never abandon you, Mommy!"

Jess chuckled beside the two. "I briefly considered the idea, but clowns freak me out, so here I am."

The group seemed to preparing themselves for the coming explosion. They may the ones igniting it but they had no idea how big it would actually be. Lorelai was the first to ask, "You ready for this?"

Rory squared her shoulders and nodded.

Jess sighed, "Ready as I'll ever be."

* * *

Inside the parlor Emily was trying her best to maintain a steady stream of small talk with Shira and Logan. Mitchum had been delayed at the officee and Richard was finishing up something's in his office.

"Well, Logan, How are things on the paper? Don't you and Rory both do some work for the Daily News?"

Logan was anxious for Rory to arrive. He could only handle so much small talk with his mother. But he knew that he needed to make a good impression with Emily. "The paper is doing great. Ace really brightens the place up."

Emily was confused for a moment, "Ace?"

Logan hadn't realized he used his nickname for Rory. "Yea, that's what I call Rory. Because she's the paper's Ace reporter."

"Oh how lovely! You have a pet name for her. Are you two close then?" Shire asked, chiming in.

"Close enough. She is a special girl." Logan told his mother. He wanted both his parents to be nice to Rory.

"I couldn't agree more, Logan." Emily knew she had seen the connection between the two at her wedding. And she was pleased that it extended to Yale. Hopefully it would continue to strengthen.

Shira smiled, "Then I am even more excited to meet her."

Emily checked her watch. It was 6:30 on the nose. Everyone should be arriving soon. Rory was usually very punctual but Lorelai couldn't be here on time to save her own life. "Well she should be here soon. What time did you say Mitchum would be joining us, Shira?"

Shia winced inwardly, Mitchum always got so wrapped up in work he forgot about his other responsibilities. Tonight his assistant had promised to have him out at seven. "He should be here around 7:15. I do apologize for his lateness, Emily."

"Nonsense, Shira. We both know how men can be when it comes to work. They forget everything else outside the office exists." Even if Emily was slightly annoyed that the "reason" for this dinner was absent so far, she had to make the best of it. "Logan, you'll do your best to remember your family when your married, hmm?"

Logan laughed uncomfortably. Married? He was barely okay with the idea of being with Rory exclusively. And by that he meant that he knew he would make several mistakes he would just have to do his best to hide them from Rory. "I'll do my best, Emily."

Emily smiled picturing his children with Rory. His blonde hair, her blue eyes. They would be simply gorgeous. "Well, as I said, Rory should be here very soon."

Emily's announcement was followed by the sound of the door bell chiming. Emily went to greet the new arrivals as the maid took their coats.

When she saw the group, Emily froze.

Lorelai saw the shock on her mother's face when she recognized Jess. Lorelai's abdominal muscles began to stretch from holding back a torrent of laughter. You could almost see the bitter anger pooling in Emily's eyes.

Emily wanted to scream and yell but with Shira's presence in the next room that option became eliminated. Instead when was limited to asking, "What is _he_ doing here?"

Rory turned and responded with ice dripping from each word. "_He_ has a name, Grandma."

Jess decided to try and calm the situation down. It was a little early for yelling. Jess at least wanted a drink in his hand before that part of the evening commenced. "Hello Mrs. Gilmore. Luke caught the flu, so he sent me in his place."

Emily stared at Jess with unhidden loathing. Not only was this boy back but he was now here, ruining her dinner. How could Rory even think that bringing him would be in any way acceptable? "I see."

Emily had to try to remain a good hostess to the Huntzburgers while secretly wanting to slap her daughter, that disgusting boy and even, in this moment, Rory. So she marched back into the living room. "They're here." She tried to say sounding happy.

Shira was confused at the sight of three people. "Oh I'm sorry, I thought we were just expecting Rory."

Logan turned around and caught sight of Jess. Logan was immediately irritated. This guy was here? At Friday night dinner? Rory had brought him?

Jess smirked at the obvious questions running through Logan's eyes. Jess decided to try and make him even more upset, if possible by giving him a small falsely friendly wave.

Emily stood by the drink cart trying to focus. "Drinks?" She asked shortly.

Lorelai nodded, "White wine, please."

Rory said, "One for me too, please."

Before Jess could ask for a drink, Emily cut him off saying, "I'm sorry but we don't have any beer. Is there anything else you might like?"

Jess heard the condescension in the tone and found it amusing that Emily even had high standards when it came to alcohol. "That's fine, Mrs. Gilmore. I'll just have a scotch neat, if you have that."

Emily handed out their drinks quickly, wanting to just barrel through the rest of this evening. With Jess here, she couldn't see making any progress on the Rory/Logan match. "Shira this is my granddaughter, Rory. And her mother, Lorelai." Emily chose not to deign to introduce Jess.

Shira could feel the tension in the room as everyone took their seats. She wanted to be in the loop, so she tried to stir the pot just a little. "And you are?" Shira looked at Jess.

Jess looked at who had to be 'casual Logan's' mother. She was the embodiment of a trophy wife, coated in high class hypocrisy. "I'm Jess."

Jess' short answer didn't really tell Shira a whole lot but she got the impression that she shouldn't press unless she was ready for a battle.

Logan didn't care about social awkwardness at this point the was too angry about the entire new direction this dinner was taking to mind his manners. "So, how long have you known Rory, Jess?"

Jess turned to stare at Logan, realizing that being friendly just wasn't in the cads for them. Jess brought back his monosyllabic alter ego. "A while."

The women all got the quiet. Sensing that this was a conversation best left to the two young men in the room. Emily was hoping that Logan would tear Jess about and show Rory that Jess' intelligence was lacking. Lorelai and Rory knew that Jess could hold his own with just about anyone, so they were more concerned as to how Logan would walk away from this confrontation.

Logan pushed, "Ya date?"

Rory decided to jump in on that question, "Yes, we dated."

Jess smirked. Even though they hadn't had an in depth disscussion about it, Jess figured they were already past the dating part this time,

Logan interrupted Rory and Jess' private smile session. "Ah, no hemming, no hawing. Always a good course of action.. So were you two high school sweethearts, rock around the clock, two straws in a milkshake?

Shira was beginning to get uncomfortable with Logan's attitude. He was always embarrassing her, "Logan!"

Logan didn't really care what his mother thought about his attitude. "So what is it that you do, Jess? You don't seem like colligate type."

Wow, 'casual Logan' was trying to come out swinging. He wasn't making any hits but Jess had to give him kudos for trying though. "This and that."

"Describe the this. Describe the that."

Rory was getting tired of Logan attempting to attack Jess. "He writes."

"He writes. Impressive." Logan said to Rory, sarcastically. He turned his attention back to Jess, "What do you write?"

Jess didn't really feel like defending his work to this over blown Yale dick head. He just said, "Nothing important."

Rory always hated how Jess down played his achievements. There were few things a person had a right to brag about. Writing a novel was one of them. Rory decided to brag for him. "He wrote a book."

Emily was shocked out of her silence. "_He_ wrote a book?" she asked in a critical way.

Logan smiled at Emily's tone. At least she was on his side. "Oh, so you penned the great American novel?"

Jess half laughed, "It wasn't quite that ambitious."

"So what are we talking here? Short novel? Kafka or longer? Dos Passos? Tolstoy? Or even longer? Robert Russo? Proust?… I'm not throwing you with these names am I?"

Shira was growing more and more embarrassed. It was one thing to be gossiping about people; it was a whole different story when the people were gossiping about her. And Logan's attitude would surely be the main topic at Emily's next DAR lunch. "Logan, mind your manners!"

Jess was actually starting to enjoy blondie's attacks. If Logan thought this was the way to win Rory's heart than he was really mistaken. "It's ok. And Logan, you seem really obsessed with length."

Logan was getting more and more upset at Jess' unruffled answers. "Yes, I'm just trying to get a picture in my head, that's all."

Even though Jess was handling Logan's insulting interrogation very well, the same could not be said for Rory. She snapped at Logan, "It's a short novel."

Logan looked at Rory and could see her disapproval of his treatment of Jess, which just angered Logan even more. "Any good?"

"I haven't read it yet."

Logan gave Jess a smile and went on with his barrage. "Yet? Well, at least you're going to have one reader, that's something."

Jess couldn't help but laugh. Logan really overestimated him self and underestimated everyone else. "Yea, it is something."

Logan could stomach Rory's obvious pride in Jess. It was making him want to be sick. "You know, I should just write down all my random thoughts, stuff that happens and conversations I have, add a bunch of 'he said' 'she said' and get it published."

Jess tried to imagine a book about the playboys life and could only see it turning out to be a whiny, daddy never loved me, poor little rich kid's story. It would be hilariously mockable. "I'm sure it would be fascinating."

Emily was sure that conversation would have continued this way if Richard hadn't chosen that moment to emerge from his study. "I am deeply sorry everyone, I could not for the life of me, get Floyd off the phone."

Emily was relieved to have Richard join them. He was always very good about easing tense situations with his calm manner. "Oh, Richard, good. Come meet the guest Lorelai brought."

Richard hadn't noticed Luke's absence and now saw the dark haired sitting next to Rory, gently holding her hand. Richard walked over and offered his hand, "Oh, Hello, I'm Richard Gilmore."

Jess stood to shake Richard's hand. Jess could tell he and Richard would get along. "Hi, I've heard a lot about you. I'm Jess Mariano."

Richard almost jumped out of his skin. This was the famous Jess. "Oh, wow. I've just finished your novel. It was wonderful, I honestly couldn't put it down."

Emily suddenly became so angry that she forgot there was company in the room. "Richard Gilmore, you actually read this horrible ruffian's book?"

Richard, in his excitement, had forgotten that Emily was in the dark about his recent literary pursuits. "Well, um, yes. I ordered it from the store in Philadelphia. It was quite good, Emily."

"I don't care how 'good' that book was, Richard, that boy is nothing but a past juvenile delinquent who probably still belongs jail."

Rory was not going to let her grandmother talk about Jess that way, especially while he was in the room. "You don't even know him Grandma! Don't you dare talk about Jess like that."

Lorelai didn't really have anything to ass and figured she was just there for moral support. She turned to Shira and tried to distract her. "So, Shira, right?"

"Don't you raise your voice to me in my house, young lady! That boy is completely insufferable. You have no business being near him."

Logan was silently cheering Emily on. Not realizing that her opinions mattered very little to Rory. He looked at Jess and smiled triumphantly.

Jess may not have cared about all the things Logan said had said to try and insult him but that jubilant smile grated on Jess' nerves. "I'd keep the joy to yourself, pretty boy. It won't last long."

Logan scoffed, "How would you know?"

Lorelai had reached her breaking point on dealing with Logan's patronizing attitude. "Maybe because he actually knows Rory. Just a guess, though."

Logan hadn't expected Rory's mother to side with writer boy. Rory had always said that her mother wanted the best for Rory. "I know Rory."

Lorelai gave Logan the patented mother's death glare. "I'm sure. That's why you think she's a casual kind of girl."

Richard sighed listening to the fighting that was erupting all around him. Rory was screaming at Emily. Lorelai was getting ready to physically attack Logan. Shira looked like she was about to summon some form of maternal protectiveness. It seemed like a good a time as any to sneak away to avoid the shrapnel. Richard looked at the only other silent observer in the room and asked, "Do you know what I've found to be the best course of action in these situations, Jess?"

"Hide and let the storm blow over?"

"Exactly. I actually have a couple first edition Hemmingway's in my study. Would you be interested in seeing them?"

Jess knew in that moment he had found a life long friend and ally among the Gilmore clan. "Hemmingway happens to be my favorite author."

Richard smiled knowingly. Jess may be less than perfect but any one who loved the written word was in his mind. "I figured that would be the case when I read your book's dedication."

Then the two men left the women and Logan to their growing fight.

* * *

Twenty minutes later the fight had encompassed everyone left in the parlor. Everyone was attacking everyone. No one was safe.

Logan was not yelling at Rory. "Why are you bothering with him, Rory? So what, the guy writes. He's a high school drop out from what Emily just said. Don't you realize I'm so much better for you?!"

With all the fighting no one had noticed the new person standing in the entryway watching the fireworks. Mitchum had walked into quite a bizarre form of a 'lovely evening' but he always did enjoy a twist to the normal.

When Mitchum heard Logan talking about someone else's lack of achievements he felt it was time to step in. "And what exactly have you done that's so great, Logan?"

All heads swiveled to see that a new person had joined them. Mitchum walked further into the room.

Shira felt like a small child caught breaking her strict father's rules. "Mitchum, we didn't hear you come in."

Lorelai was still in the quip mood. "Well, how could we? Over all the noise we were making in here, Shira? Not too bright huh?"

Logan stood silently watching his father take over the conversation. Logan knew how much his father thought of him. And it wasn't much.

Mitchum had missed the start of the high volumed argument he has walked in on and now found himself very curious about the initial spark. "Would anyone like to fill me in?"

Everyone stayed silent for a moment. Then Lorelai thinking she had nothing to loose unloaded the whole story. "Rory," Lorelai pointed to her daughter, "was about to be ambushed with a blatant set up with your son."

The picture was beginning to take focus in Mitchum's mind. Though he didn't think any sane person would try to set their granddaughter up with his lothario son. "I see it's going well."

Lorelai shrugged. "Just smashing. Except for Rory's boyfriend and I crashed the party in a preemptive defensive strike."

Logan couldn't stop his sudden outburst toward Rory. "He's your boyfriend now?"

Rory was still trying to process the fact that all of this personal drama was playing out in front of a world renowned journalism mogul. "What's it to you, Logan? Going to try and insult him some more?"

Mitchum looked around for the infamous 'boyfriend'. The only other male he saw was Logan. "Do I get to meet this trouble causing boyfriend?"

Emily caught on and looked about the room. "Where is Jess? I swear, Lorelai, if that boy touches one thing in my house -"

Richard and Jess reappeared from the study after they heard a lull in the yelling. Richard cut Emily's tirade off before it could really get rolling. "Emily, don't' speak about our guest that way, please. Hello Mitchum."

Mitchum shook Richard's hand and then moved on to Jess. "Ah, the man of the hour. Mitchum Huntzburger."

Jess shook the older Huntzburger's hand and looked at Logan who was practically vibrating with anger. "Jess Mariano."

"So, I understand my son was insulting you earlier."

Jess snorted. Logan's insults were nothing short of hilarious. "He was trying to. Wasn't having much success."

Logan wanted to defend himself. His father obviously wasn't going to understand all of this. "I wasn't insulting him. I was just challenging him."

Rory laughed heartlessly at Logan's pathetic excuse, "You were being a jerk, Logan."

"Hey, if Hemmingway can take it, so can he. If he wanted to he could have taken a pop at me. Pugnacity, it's a vital component in literary life. Again, consult your Hemmingway."

Jess looked at Rory with smiling eyes. Logan didn't even know their connection to Hemmingway. The irony was amazing. "Rory's not a big Hemmingway fan. Maybe, you could find a different author."

Mitchum had heard enough from his son for one evening and they hadn't been together for more than ten minutes. "Who are you to challenge him, Logan?"

Logan began sputtering, "Just because he wrote a book doesn't make him great. Anyone can write a book. He didn't even graduate high school. He isn't even going to college. So yea, I think I can challenge him."

Mitchum took a step towards Logan, to use his advantage of height to add impact to what he was about to say. "You only graduated high school because of the large sum of money I donated and the fact that your school wanted you out. And college? The reasons your in Yale, your last name and yet another check I wrote."

"But-"

"And if he wrote a book, that's a lot more than you have done in months. You can't even finish three hundred word articles for the paper. Maybe, you should be asking Jess some pointers."

Logan tried one more defense, "He's still a nobody. Rory deserves better than that."

Mitchum laughed, "You calling someone a nobody? That's rich. We will discuss your short comings at a later time, Logan. This isn't the place for that long list."

When Mitchum finished taking Logan down a peg a two, he looked around at all the faces in the room most ranged from angry to highly uncomfortable. This was not how he was going to be spending his evening. "Well Shira, we've caused enough damage here for one evening, we should go."

Emily stood quickly from her chair and said, "But we haven't had dinner yet."

"We will come for dinner another time, Emily. Let's go, Shira, Logan."

Jess stepped out of the way to give the Huntzburgers room to flee the scene. As Mitchum passed he looked at Jess. "You wrote a book?"

Jess could only think of sarcastic retorts, so he just nodded silently.

Mitchum glanced at Richard, he had heard something about Richard being a traitor by even glancing at it. "Was it good?"

"Oh it was very good. I couldn't put it down."

Mitchum as always looking for new up and comers. "Send me a copy, Jess, please."

Jess shrugged, thinking how bizarre all of this was turning out. "I'll do that."

Mitchum felt like he was forgetting something. Ah, yes, Rory. When Shira told him the 'reason' for this dinner, Mitchum had dome a little checking up on the girl. Rory had his attention, maybe he could find her an internship. "Oh, yes. Rory, here's my card, I'd like you to send me your resume and a few of your pieces."

Rory felt like a truck just smacked her, Mitchum Huntzburger wanted to see her work. Even after all this. "Yes, sir."

With all that done Mitchum shook Richard's hand one more time and walked out. Shira and Logan quickly followed.

Jess saved the image of Logan running after daddy into his memory. That guy had a lot of growing up to do.

When the front door the front door closed, what little of Emily's hostess façade dropped. "How dare you bring that foul boy here, Lorelai? You completely ruined my dinner."

"You mean we ruined your chance to meddle in Rory's life and try to manipulate her into dating. Your idea of the perfect boy? I'd apologize but then lightening would strike me dead and I don't have that scheduled until later next week."

"You know what, I'm going to bed. You and Rory are both lost to your diner boys and I'm too tired to talk to you."

Emily stormed upstairs still muttering about her plans being totally ruined.

Rory sighed, feeling the weight of exhaustion on her shoulders. "So another wonderful night at the Gilmore house comes to a close."

Richard sighed, yes the evening had been eventful and dinner was never even served. "Perhaps, we should say goodnight."

Lorelai agreed whole heartedly. She needed coffee, a burger and a truck load of sugar to recover from the past forty-five minutes. "Yea, we should go. Mom probably needs some time to cool off."

Rory may have been angry with her grandmother but she didn't want to start a fight with her grandfather. "I'm sorry about all this, Grandpa."

Jess had let Richard in on the entire plan while they were in the study. Richard had to agree that Emily did deserve a small dose of her own medicine for once. Don't be, Rory. I had a wonderful time getting to know Jess. He is a fine young man. So, next week?"

Richard wanted the invitation extended to everyone in the room, especially Jess. He had a funny feeling have to give up her past conceptions of this boy because he really wasn't going to be going anywhere, anytime soon.

Lorelai smiled at her father. "Friday night."

Jess got the implied invitation in Richard's voice. "I'll clear my schedule."

* * *

The three stepped out of the house and simultaneously heaved a sigh of relief.

Lorelai wrapped her arm around Rory's shoulders. "Man, I'm starved."

"Me too."

"Luke's?"

"Luke's."

Lorelai began walking to her car calling back, "Meet you guys there!"

Rory looked at Jess. He had disappeared early into the fight. "So, where did you run off to when the throw down started?"

Jess smiled at Rory, she would have been really happy about how well he and Richard had gotten along. "Richard rescued me in an attempt to save some of my sanity."

"Grandpa saved you?" Jess and her grandfather had joined forces?

"We'll talk about it at Luke's ok?" Jess had more important things to do at the moment. He gently brushed Rory's hair behind her ears and kissed her.

This girl was his everything. His absolute everything.

* * *

**Author's Note: **So who do you guys think is better for Lane…. Dave or Zach?


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Lane had gone home Sunday afternoon and found Zach pacing the floor with concern. He said that he had looked everywhere for her. Every where except the one place Lane actually was. Though, they has essentially talked everything out, Lane still felt like something was off. She felt like something was missing.

Lane couldn't stop her thoughts from only going to the negative points in their relationship as she worked Friday night. Zach barely seemed to know her at all. The basic facts, he knew: her favorite color, her best friend, about her mother. But Zach didn't notice much else.

Lane's thoughts were so involved that she didn't hear the bell above the diners door chime. She just continued with the menial task of refilling the coffee pots.

"One coffee, please." A voice said quietly, causing Lane to jump with a small shriek.

Lane began her apology before turning around, "I am so sorry! I didn't even hear the bell…"

When she saw the man sitting at the counter, Lane almost dropped the coffee pot she was holding, "Dave?"

Dave smiled at Lane, thinking even after almost two years she was almost exactly the same . Even while he was going to school in California, even after they had decided long distance wasn't working, Dave had thought of Lane almost constantly. No, he hadn't been living the life of a monk after they ended things but every girl he dated he compared to Lane. And every girl had fallen woefully short. "Hey Lane."

Lane's mind was caught between reeling and frozen. What was Dave doing here? They hadn't ended in a bitter way but it had been understood that it was best that they didn't talk. Which made seeing him sitting in front of her in Stars Hollow beyond shocking. "Dave?"

Dave hid a small laugh at the look on Lane's face. She looked like one of the ladies from '_Gone with the Wind'_ calling out for smelling salts when Shearman was bombing Atlanta. "How about that coffee?"

Lane shook herself out of the stupor. "Oh, sure, coffee… Wait, I thought you didn't drink coffee."

Dave was pleasantly surprised that Lane remembered that fact. He'd only mentioned it once to Mrs. Kim in the long speech he'd prepared in order to get permission to take Lane to the prom. Dave shrugged the joy off and explained, "My stance changed when I realized at three in the morning that I had a paper due in six hours and I hadn't even started it."

Lane smiled picturing Dave frantically working through the night. She poured his coffee and asked, "How did that work out?"

"Actually really well. I got a 'B' on the assignment. Coffee and I have been pals ever since."

The banter lost steam as Lane began to wonder what exactly Dave was doing back in Stars Hollow. She was fairly sure that it wasn't just a quick visit because classes were still going on at all the other colleges. "Dave, I have to ask…."

"What I'm doing here?"

Lane nodded. Seeing Dave again, having him seem to know exactly what she was thinking wasn't helping her to remember all the good parts of her relationship with Zach.

"Well, unfortunately, UCLA is getting really expensive. Upside, is UCONN has the degree I'm working on at almost half the total price, so I moved back."

"You…moved?" Lane couldn't make it all fit together in her head.

"Back. Yea, plus I actually missed my family and… a whole bunch of other stuff. So moving back seemed like the beat solution."

Lane thought she knew what the 'other stuff' that Dave missed. She hoped she knew, at least. "You missed other stuff?"

"Yea, I missed other stuff." Dave said quietly, looking Lane in the eyes. Hoping she understood his implication.

The pair looked at each other with small smiles. It was as if there had been no time, no distance between them. They were both barely resisting the urge to lean in and kiss each other.

In the moment where Lane had almost forgotten everything but Dave the bell chimed again and broke the spell.

Rory was still trying to understand everything Jess had told her on the drive back from Hartford. "He really read your book?"

Jess was still chuckling at Rory's disbelief. "Not only did he read it, he liked it, too."

Lane couldn't believe the excellent timing fate had. It had delivered the one person Lane needed to talk to at the exact moment she needed it most. "Rory!"

Rory turned away from Jess expecting to have to talk about the whole "dinner" with Lane, until she saw who was sitting at the counter. "Dave? You're back?"

Dave knew that he only had a few seconds to greet Rory before Lane whiskered her away for a little 'girl talk'. "Hey Rory! Yup, Just moved back this week."

Rory could see the skittishness in Lane's body language and couldn't wait to hear all the details of what was going on. She was trying to silently ask all the questions using the best friend telepathy. But in Lane's emotional state nothing was getting through. "Wow, that's cool."

Jess knew that the girls needed a few moments to catch up but they were trying to find the best way to extricate themselves without seeming too obvious. He decided to try and score some 'cool points' with Lane by giving them the opportunity. "Hey Lane, why don't you take a break? I'll cover for you here."

Lane couldn't believe that she actually felt gratitude toward Jess, but she did. "Thanks, ummm, Rory, want to run with me to Doose's to pick up that thing?"

Rory was trying to play off the obviously fabricated excuse. "Oh, yea. The thing from Doose's. Sure, let's go."

Lane rushed around the counter, grabbed Rory's arm and started dragging her towards the door. "Thanks Jess! We'll be right back."

Rory smiled at Jess then hurried off with Lane.

Jess took Lane's place behind the counter and watched the girls run out of sight with a smile. Some thing really did never change.

Dave turned back to look at Jess. "They are going to go talk about me, huh?"

"Oh yea, you can bet on it."

Dave laughed imagining what there were going to say. "Oh, what I would give to be a fly on the wall."

Jess had to agree with that statement. He'd often wondered what Rory said about him. "It would be helpful in figuring those two out."

Dave had been wondering about a few things himself. "So, you are Rory, huh?"

Jess glanced in the direction the girls ran off in, "Yea, trying not to screw it up this time."

Dave nodded thinking about all the things Lane had told him about what happened when Jess vanished. Dave had to admit that he and Jess had a lot in common at the moment. "Yea, I'm right there with you one that one."

Jess began to wonder if Dave had any idea what he was getting into. "Trying to get Lane back?"

Dave looked at his coffee and asked, "Am I that transparent."

"Only to those with eyes." Jess never understood how girls could sometimes not grasp what guys were up to. Men were fairly simple creatures. See problem, find solution.

Dave really hadn't tried to hide his intentions. Dave had a thought if Jess was with Rory than he might know a little about what was going on in Lane's life. "Any obstacles I should know of?"

Jess did actually like Dave. That was the only reason he was about to, in essence, divulge privileged information about Lane's life. "Only one major one that I know of."

"Boyfriend?"

"Yup."

Dave took a moment to try and think of who could have caught Lane's attention. He came up blank. "Do I know the lucky guy?"

Jess really hated gossiping, he felt like he should be wearing a skirt and saying '_like oh my gawd!'_ but he understood where Dave was coming from. Hell, Jess had been in his place a few weeks ago. "Yea, Lane is with Zach."

Dave spit out the sip of coffee he had just taken and coughed out, "She's with who?"

Jess laughed at the look of shock on Dave's face.

"She's with who?" Dave repeated, trying to get Jess to stop laughing and answer.

"Zach. You know, the guy in your old band." Jess explained, still chuckling.

Dave tried to picture the two of them together but it just wouldn't compute. "How is Mrs. Kim handling that?"

It dawned on Jess that Dave must be really out of the loop if he didn't know about Lane's revolution. "Ok, you're really far behind, aren't you?"

The way Jess asked that question made Dave wonder just how much he'd actually missed. "What do you mean?"

Jess shook his head and held up his hands defensively, "Oh no, I am not getting involved in this. You ask Lane."

Dave had momentarily forgotten who he was talking to, Jess was never into the town talk. "Reached your gossip limit?"

Jess smirked and nodded. "And then some."

Dave laughed remembering how talkative Jess was. "Ok, so tell me what's been going on with you?"

* * *

Lorelai walked into the diner with her arms full of bags. She'd picked up movies, junk food and other necessities. "Ok, I got _The Shining, Mommy Dearest _and _Snow White: A Tale of Terror_…. And Rory is not here, so who am I talking to?"

Jess grabbed a cup for Lorelai and poured the coffee before she even asked. "Interesting choices. I get the sense that it has something to do with our fun filled evening."

Lorelai sat at the counter and was about to compliment Jess' ability to make obvious connections, when she recognized who she was sitting by. "Oh! Dave!"

"Hey Lorelai. Bad night?" He asked, eyeing all the junk food.

"Depends on your definition of bad." Lorelai turned back to Jess and asked, "Where did Rory run off to?"

Dave fielded that question. "Lane kidnapped her to talk about me in private."

Lorelai understood in an instant. "Ah, emergency girl discussion, got it."

Luke came into the diner from upstairs when he heard Lorelai's voice. He looked at her and Jess, "You guys are back early."

Lorelai laughed, "Turns out, the sight of Jess has the power to make my mother run and hide. Now that I know this, I shall put it to use more often."

If Lorelai was joking about keeping Jess around, even for selfish reasons, it was a good sign that she was warming up to him. "Well at least I know I serve a purpose."

Dave nodded. "It does, generally, help to give them a reason to keep you around."

Lorelai was gulping her coffee like it was water. When she came up for air she pointed to the kitchen and demanded, "Burger and fries."

Jess looked at Luke with a half smile, "Demanding isn't she?"

Luke started walking to the back, muttering, "You have no idea. And Rory's no better, so you might as well get used to it."

Jess raised his eye brow and looked at Lorelai for confirmation.

Lorelai smiled. "I taught her everything I know."

* * *

Richard quietly entered the bedroom looking for Emily, after everyone had left. As much as he agreed with the others that Emily's meddling had gone a little too far, he didn't want to have her upset. "Emily?"

Emily was sitting in front of her dressing table, staring at nothing. She was rapidly growing more and more angry. Not just about the ruined dinner but also about the fact that no one else could see that Rory was throwing her future away. "I don't want to talk to you, Richard. Please, leave me alone."

It hurt Richard that Emily was shutting him out. "Emily, please."

Emily snapped, with no one to buffer, she unloaded. "How could you embarrass me like that? Telling that no-good boy that you enjoyed his horrible book! Not agreeing with me when I said Rory should be with him. Don't you understand that she is ruining her life? Why can't anyone else see that?"

Richard wanted to calm Emily down before she did something she would later regret. "Emily, Jess has grown into-"

Emily was not going to listen to Richard defending that wretched person. "I don't care what he has grown into. He is nothing but a bad influence. Rory should be with someone like Logan! Not the nephew of a filthy diner owner. Don't you see that?"

Richard sighed. Emily had always been a bit of a snob, She had high expectations of everyone around her. "Rory is a smart girl. She has a good head on her shoulders. Rory will not loose sight of her goals, no matter who she is with."

"That boy will do nothing but drag her down, Richard. She'll end up pregnant just like Lorelai. Then he will leave her again and all her dreams and plans will be washed away."

Emily was blowing everything out of proportion, as usual. "Jess isn't going any where, Emily. And he wants Rory to achieve everything she's been dreaming of. Anyone who looks can see that."

Emily would never believe that. To her Jess was nothing but a low class, blot on humanity. He had no business even knowing Rory. "I will not let him ruin my granddaughter! Even if I'm the only one who cares, which it is becoming obvious that I am. I will protect Rory, Richard. And you can't stop me."

Richard was worried that Emily was planning something that would push Rory even farther away. "Emily..", he said in a warning tone. "you will leave those two alone."

"I will do no such thing."

"This meddling has to stop, Emily. You're just pushing the girls away."

Emily knew that was the down fall of trying to show them how things were supposed to be. But she also knew that when they saw she was right, everything would go back to normal. Or even better than normal. "I will stop interfering when they see I am right and start listening to me, Richard."

Richard sighed, there would be no winning this battle tonight, with the mood Emily was in. "Jest let this one go. Jess has done nothing wrong, Emily. Let them be."

Emily smiled. Richard had just inadvertently given her an idea. "Fine, Richard. I'll let this go… for now."

All Emily needed to do was to plan out the details. This plan would work. It had to work.

* * *

Lane dragged Rory all the way to the front of Doose's, just to be safe. This was not a conversation for anyone else's ears.

"Lane! Stop! What is going on with you?" Rory asked rubbing the raw spot on her wrist that Lane's death grip had left.

"Dave's back." Lane sputtered. Still unsure of what that meant.

"I know. I was able to cleverly deduce that with my eyes." Rory was trying to get Lane to say why she was so freaked out by the reappearance of Dave.

"Very funny. What am I going to do?" Lane could feel the panic rising in her chest. Dave was really back.

"About what?"

"About Dave!"

Rory thought about it for a moment, every girl had a momentary flip out when an ex came back into the picture, but Lane was on a whole different level. The only reason for her to be this upset about Dave was that she still had feelings for him. "Wait, Lane, you don't have those kinds of feelings for him anymore, do you?"

Lane hadn't gotten that far into her own reaction. Did she? She thought of the moment, the almost kiss. "I don't know." She whispered, more to herself than to Rory.

Rory saw the confusion in her friends eyes. Rory wished she could give Lane all the answers and make everything better. But all she had to offer her was, "You have to figure that out, Hun."

Rory was right. Lane knew she had to get this all straight in her head. As much as Lane enjoyed being with Zach, was it the same way she felt when she was with Dave?

Rory broke into Lane's chaotic thoughts, "We should get back."

Lane nodded and silently followed Rory back towards Luke's. Rory was right, Lane had to get her head straightened out.

Just before they walked into Luke's, Rory abruptly turned around and gave Lane a tight hug. "You think tonight, we talk in the morning. Ok?"

Lane hugged Rory, grateful to have such a good friend. "Definitely."

* * *

Lorelai watched the girls walk in and could tell something big was brewing. It only too a glance at Lane's face to have an idea as to what. Lorelai glanced over at Dave, she knew that the two had a lot to talk about. And she felt the motherly urge to help them out. "Ok so, we're going to go back to the house and have a major movie marathon. You can handle closing up, right Lane?"

Luke was confused, Friday night movies usually only included Lorelai and Rory. Now suddenly it seemed he and Jess were demanded to be there. "Huh?"

Rory knew exactly what her mom was doing. It may not have been exactly what Lane needed but it was what she wanted. So Rory tried to help ease things along. "Yea, come on boys! We're making an exception to the 'No Boy Allowed' Rule. So, let's go."

Lorelai pointed to the bags by the door, "Luke, sweetie, will you grab those? Come on, Jess, let's hustle we have, like, nine hours of movies to get through!"

Luke quickly followed Lorelai to the door saying that he wasn't going to watch them shorten their lives by eating all this junk but he picked up the bags and went along, anyway.

Before Jess left he looked at Dave and quietly told him. "Now's your chance. Talk to her and please don't blow it. I am not a huge fan of Zach, ok?"

Dave nodded, "I hear you, man. I'm not to fond of him right now myself."

Dave and Jess had formed some sort of bond in the last few minutes. It was unspoken but understood that they had each other's backs.

Just as Jess was about to close the door and go after Rory he said to neither Dave nor Lane in particular, "Good luck."

And then it was just Lane and Dave, alone.

* * *

During _Snow White _Jess and Rory had gotten comfortable on the pallet they had made on the floor in front of the couch. As far as Jess was concerned laying there on a makeshift bed with Rory in his arms was as close to Heaven as he could get without physically dying.

Rory had felt so safe and comfortable that she had fallen asleep quickly. She had dreamed of doing this several times and the reality was far better than she could have ever imagined.

When the credits rolled Lorelai looked over at her daughter and Jess and couldn't help the smile breaking out on her face. They looked so peaceful and content. Lorelai may have had issues with Jess in the past but it he put that look at the contentment on Rory's face, then Lorelai knew he couldn't be all bad.

These were the moments Lorelai felt she has to share with someone who loved Rory as much as she did. "Luke! Luke!" She whispered, poking him until he jumped awake.

"Wha-!"

"Shh! Look!" Lorelai pointed to where the kids lay. Then pointed to the kitchen.

Luke nodded tiredly and walked with Lorelai to the other room. "Why did you wake me up again?" He grumbled.

The realization was so huge to Lorelai that she thought it would be flashing over her head in neon lights. "He really loves her, doesn't he?"

Luke knew exactly who Lorelai meant. It may have taken her a few years to catch on but at least she finally did. "Yes, he does."

Lorelai thought of all the time and energy she wasted fighting the Jess and Rory pairing and laughed. "I can't believe I didn't see it before."

Luke wanted to tell her that it was easily missed, but he couldn't bring himself to lie to her. "I sort of figured it out when he out bid Dean at the stupid basket festival the town had."

With hind sight Lorelai could see it too but how did Luke see it then. "How?"

"What else would make him want to go to one those ridiculous town things?"

Lorelai took a second and thought about that. The basket festival, the dance marathon, the winter carnival, the firelight festival. Every time Jess was there it was for Rory. "Wow, I guess you're right."

Luke didn't have to guess, he knew. He and Jess were similar in that way. The only person outside of his family that could get him to go to those things was Lorelai. It always had been that way, and hopefully it always would be that way. Luke held out his hand wanting to get Lorelai upstairs, "Let's let them sleep."

As they passed by the sleeping figures on the floor Lorelai stopped Luke and whispered, "They're going to be ok, huh?"

Luke looked down at them. He saw Jess' arms wrapped around Rory, holding her close even in his sleep. "Without a doubt."

* * *

Lane took the stool next to Dave with a small sigh. Now, that they were really alone her nervousness had returned ten fold. "So…"

Dave knew this conversation was going to be hard. Part of him wanted to back out and just let things be. But he knew that if he did that he would regret it for the rest of his life. "Tell me what's going on with you? What's happening in the life of Lane Kim?"

Hearing those questions out loud made Lane realized that she didn't have a lot to say. "Not a whole lot. Work. The band. We've actually gotten a few bigger gigs."

Dave hadn't heard that but he wasn't surprised. Lane had a huge passion for music and you could tell when she played that she loved what she was doing. "That's great. New guitarist?"

Lane nodded, thinking about Gil. "Yea, he's a bit older but very cool."

Dave was still trying to work up the nerve to get to the big question. He was just enjoying Lane's voice and obvious pride in her music. "So, how is your mom dealing with the band? Or are you still hiding it?"

Lane had to laugh, her mom was dealing with it better than she could have hoped. "Well, we've actually just started talking again, since I moved out."

""You moved out?!" Dave couldn't believe it. Mrs. Kim letting Lane move out? He was pretty sure he missed the news report about hell freezing over, pigs learning to fly and King Arthur returning to the throne.

Lane winced remembering the disaster that followed her running away to Yale. "Actually, she kind of kicked me out. But we get along a lot better now."

Dave couldn't believe most of what he was hearing. Jess hadn't been lying when he said Dave was way out of the loop. "Wow, big changes, huh?"

Lane thought of the other major change and inwardly cringed. Zach. She looked down at her hands and mumbled, "Yea, changes."

Dave looked at Lane's downcast face, he easily saw the wave of sadness wash over her features. He had Jess' voice ringing in his head, '_Don't blow it'_. That gave Dave the courage to finally dive in. "Ok, one last question…"

Lane shook off her sad thoughts and refocused on Dave. "Ok, shoot."

"Are you really happy?"

There is was again. The one question Lance couldn't seem to answer. She wasn't unhappy, but she couldn't honestly say that she was happy.

The silence dragged on for several minutes. Lane's lack of response was all the answer Dave needed but he also wanted her to see the answer on her own. "Tell you what, you take a day to think about it and I'll come back tomorrow for your answer, ok?"

Lane looked at Dave with a sigh of relief. He knew that she needed a little time and space to think. She nodded, almost in a sad way.

Dave couldn't help himself when he gently kissed Lane's cheek as a way of saying good night. "Tomorrow night."

Lane sat there frozen on the stool, watching Dave leave. His question was still pounding in her head. '_Am I happy?'_ she kept asking herself over and over.

* * *

Jess felt his phone vibrate in the pocket of his jeans and stealthily untangled himself from Rory. One-Thirty am. He was glad that he had thought to set an alarm. Usually he was a light sleeper and could wake up in an instant using only his own internal clock but laying with Rory had been the most comfortable he had been in years.

Jess stood, stretched and silently moved to the front door. Before he left he turned to look back at Rory. She was heart breakingly beautiful. Jess wished he could freeze this moment for ever.

It took Jess a few moments to remember why he was leaving and find the motivation to actually so. He didn't really want to leave Rory but he knew it would only be for a few hours.

When Jess opened the trunk of his car he actually got a little excited, he felt his adrenaline start pumping. He opened the bag to make sure he had everything he would need and then slipped off into the still sleeping town.

Jess was going to show Lorelai that he could keep his word. The fun he was going to have while proving it was just an added perk.

* * *

Hours later Rory woke to find herself alone in the living room with the sun streaming in through the curtains. She began to panic thinking Jess had disappeared again. Until she found a note on the pillow that he had been using.

'_Rory, went to help open the diner. I'll have the coffee and pancakes waiting for when you wake up.' _

Seeing Jess' handwriting made Rory smile and remember her old worn copy of Howl. The small book had been read more often after that than when Rory had first gotten it. She had read his notes so many times after he left, she knew most of them by heart. She looked at his notes just trying to feel connected to him in some small way.

Rory got up and almost rushed to start getting ready, impatient to see Jess again. To reassure herself that he really was still here. But her mom stopped her when she walked into the their kitchen. "Morning, Sleepy. Want some coffee?"

Rory nodded, "Always. What are you doing up?"

Lorelai had gotten up when Luke left and waiting for Rory to join the land of the living. Ever since last night, Lorelai felt the need to talk again with Rory, "Baking, cleaning, laundry, you know, the usual."

Picturing her mother doing anything like that was laughable. So, Rory tried again. "Oh so you weren't waiting in here to corner me when I woke up?"

Lorelai hated that Rory knew her so well sometimes. She handed Rory a fresh cup of coffee and smiled, "That may have been a motivating factor, yes."

The fact that Lorelai was building up to a mom-daughter/friend talk had not escaped Rory's notice. Rory tried to pretend to be annoyed, "Ok, let's get this over with. I have to go find Lane and do some serious best friend time."

It was hard for Lorelai to actually say what she was thinking out loud. If anyone told her two years ago that she would be standing in her kitchen championing Jess' attempt to win Rory back she would have died from laughter. "It's about Jess."

Rory knew this talk was coming, but she still had no answers. She tried to get around the question as quickly as possible. "What about him?"

Lorelai hated it when Rory evaded questions like this. Sometimes Rory was too smart for her own good. "Rory, you know what I'm getting at. What's up with you two?"

"I don't know, Mom. I mean it's just… he's always so… complicated. I think I really love him but I'm scarred, What if we have a fight and he disappears again. I don't know if I could take that."

Lorelai sat and the table across from Rory, hating the fear Rory was feeling. Justified it may be, yes. But it killed her that Rory was so confused. "Calm down, sweets. Just calm down."

Rory took a deep breath and looked at Lorelai, "What should I do, mom?"

Lorelai knew exactly what to say. "You, of all people, know that I have had my concerns about Jess. I think the entirety of Stars Hollow would be shocked if they heard what I am about to say. But give Jess a chance. He deserves a chance."

Rory stared at her mother dumb founded, "Really?"

Lorelai thought about how well Rory and Jess fit. She'd seen it while they were laying on the floor together. They were like puzzle pieces. They completed one another. Jess was the only person who shared Rory's passion for reading, added a little wildness, mischief and spontaneity to Rory's life. And Rory was the only person who could tame Jess' wild way to a manageable level. They kept up with each other's quick wit. "Yes, really, just hear me out."

Rory couldn't believe her mother was telling her Jess deserved another chance. "I am listening."

"After Jess left you were a mess. You buried yourself in your school work. And I must say you played the part of a cloistered nun beautifully. When he told you he loved you, it all got worse. You really perfected the hermit routine. And I'm pretty sure Jess was worse off. He probably made Scrooge seem charming and kind. I see how he looks at you, it's like you're an angel who just saved his life. He dedicated his book to you. I don't think Jess is going anywhere, sweetie. I don't think he is letting you go without a fight."

Rory wanted to believe her mom. She wanted to believe Jess was here to stay. "But what about-"

Lorelai held up hand to silence Rory. "Shh, dearest. Mommy is still talking. Jess made mistakes in the past. He hurt you when he left. But that was then. This is now. I think Jess has learned a lot and realized that your relationship never actually ended, at least not for him. "

Rory knew exactly what her mom meant. "I guess that goes for me too. I always felt like I was waiting for him to come back."

"There ya go. Give him a chance, sweets, or you may always be waiting."

Knowing her mom would be behind her, supporting her, gave Rory the courage to make the decision. Jess really did deserve a chance. An honest chance. "You're right, you're right."

Lorelai got up, walked around the table to hug her daughter tightly. "So when are you going to tell Jess he is officially off the market?"

Rory laughed thinking that her mom knew the status of Jess' love life before he did. "As soon as we get to Luke's."

* * *

Lane sat in her kitchen staring into space with a, now cold, cup of coffee. The question of happiness had kept her awake, tossing and turning, most of the night. It dawned on her that if she had to think about the question this long then the answer was obvious. She wasn't happy.

Lane was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't see the Bryan come out of the bathroom, she jumped when he said, "Morning, Lane."

"Oh, uh, yea. Morning."

Bryan watched as Lane got up and busied herself, cleaning the already spotless kitchen. He could tell there was something on her mind. He decided to try and help. "What's up with you?"

Lane wanted to pretend that she didn't know what Bryan was talking about but she also wanted to talk. To get all these thoughts out of her head. She needed to talk this out. "I don't know. I guess I just don't feel right."

Bryan had noticed how off Lane had been, he had kept his questions and comments to himself. He didn't want to get in the middle of this drama. But if Lane was this upset, he felt like he had to listen to her at least. They were friends after all. "Why?"

This mood had started when Zach lied to her. Even if it was a dumb lie, it still showed Lane how little they actually knew each other. "It's just that thing with Zach. I guess, it's still bugging me."

Bryan stayed silent, knowing Lane had more to say.

"I just don't think he really knows me. At least not the little things. And I know something about him, sure, but not really. I don't know it's just weird."

Bryan was still sitting quietly. Which was making Lane nervous. "What? Am I crazy? I'm crazy, you think I'm crazy."

Bryan shook his head, "You want my opinion?"

"If I didn't want your opinion would I have just told you all of that?!"

Lane had a point, Bryan thought to himself. "Fine. I think you could do more."

That didn't give Lane any answers. "What do you mean, more?"

It was a vague answer. But it was the best way Bryan could think to say it. "Just more."

"More, what, Bryan?" Lane asked, voice rising in exacerbation.

Bryan sighed, Lane really wanted specifics here. "You dropped out of school. You work at a diner. You work so hard and get almost no where."

"I don't understand." Lane was confused.

Bryan was on a roll now that he had gotten started. "Lane, you should have more. Better, I guess. You and Zach, sure, you guys get along but I just don't see the chemistry."

Lane was getting it now. "I should have more?"

Bryan was relieved that he didn't have to think of any examples.

Lane suddenly needed air. "I have to go."

Bryan watched Lane scamper out, wondering if what he said would help her out at all.

* * *

Jess was clearing tables, waiting for Rory to walk through the door. It was interesting being back in the diner, working and waiting. For a few moments Jess felt like he had never made the mistakes he had.

Everyone noticed the change in Jess' out look. He wasn't going to be winning any congeniality awards but he wasn't snarling at people, either. In fact, he was almost polite to Kirk.

From outside Rory could see Jess smoothly going about business. Just seeing him made her heart skip a little. In her head she heard her mother saying, '_Give him a chance…'_

Rory followed her instincts with out thought and thought and rushed into the packed diner.

When Jess looked up and gave her a small private smile, Rory walked up to him and kissed him with all the emotions she was feeling. Trying to tell him without words that she was in this.

It took Jess seconds to react, pull Rory closer to him and deepen the kiss.

This was all that mattered to Jess. This girl in his arms was his entire world, if she knew it or not. Even when they had been apart Rory had haunted his thoughts, dreams and choices.

Everyone in the diner stopped moving or talking to watch the kiss of the year. In unison they broke out in applause. Babbette wolf whistled from the corner and yelled, "It's about damn time."

The sudden commotion ended their magical moment. Jess pressed his forehead to Rory's. "So, we try?"

Rory stared into Jess' eyes and nodded, "We try."

Lorelai had walked in after Rory and watched the whole reunion. It made her proud that her daughter had grown into a person that had courage to go after what she wanted.

Just as everyone was going back to their breakfast the diner's door slammed open with Taylor rushing in, pointing at Jess. "You!"

It took a great amount of effort for Jess to keep from laughing at Taylor's obvious rage. Jess just calmly looked at the older man and shrugged, "Ok, me,"

"You glued everything in my store to the shelves! You broke into the market and glued everything!"

Lorelai had no such luck holding back her laughter. Picturing how Taylor reacted when he discovered the situation was better than a morning cup of coffee.

Jess remained calm and asked, "Can you prove it?"

Taylor was inwardly cursing himself for not installing cameras around town years ago. "I know it was you."

Lorelai had recovered enough to step in. After all, it was her request that Jess do something like this. "Do you have proof, Taylor?"

Taylor gave Lorelei a look that should have told her to stay out of it. "Who else would do something as depraved as this?"

Lorelai giggled again, picturing Jess taking the time to glue everything together. "So, I take it you can actually prove it, beyond a shadow of a doubt?"

Jess jumped in again, already having thought up something to say that would make Taylor so angry he would storm out. "Since you don't have proof, you are technically committing slander and if Luke looses business because of it, he could sue you, Taylor."

Rory was still upset about what Taylor had done when her mother and Luke had a fight, so she jumped in to take a jab at Taylor, too. "And with how Luke is feeling about you, he would enjoy it."

Jess nodded, "Relish in it."

Lorelai laughed at the small group ganging up on Taylor, "Take delight in it, even."

Taylor couldn't take this badgering anymore and stomped to the door. "I will catch you next time, your horrible prankster!"

When Taylor slammed the door behind him not a single person I the diner could hold back laughter. Mrs. Patty got up from her table to hug Jess. "This town missed you, Jess. We really did."

Jess was still as a stone, Mrs. Patty hugging him was something he had horrible nightmares about when he was younger. "Uh, thanks, I think."

Mrs. Patty went to talk to Babbette, smiling about the joke. The crowd was all talking and laughing still. This was the biggest thing to happen in the sleepy town in quite a while.

Lane walked in, not caring about the giggling around her. "Hey, Rory?"

Rory looked at her best friend's pale ad depressed face and rushed to comfort her.

Lane hugged her friend like she was an anchor in a storm, then tearfully said, "I'm ready for that talk now."

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Review please. They actually do make me write a little faster.

Also I am co-authoring an X-Men story with siennaraven87. It will be starring Gambit and Wolverine. With special guest appearances from Deadpool. You guys should check it out when we get the first chapter up.

_Don't judge me. I have weird tastes. _


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